


It's funnier than it sounds...

by WinterRose527



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Serious fluff, but tommen is dead, don't take Kindly to canon around here, it's going to be cute though, like her brother is going to die, no canon has been found round these parts in years, not the dead part, rom com fluff, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-12-18 15:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18252632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterRose527/pseuds/WinterRose527
Summary: Myrcella and Robb meet, sparks fly! Then *tragedy strikes* (said in a French accent per @sansaclarkes, add a cigarette s'il vous plait).Tommen dies, she becomes the sole guardian of his children, but as the title suggests it is funnier than it sounds. and sweet, hopefully.once more unto the breach, dear friends...





	1. Boy meets Girl

Though it was only March, the sun shone brightly enough that he’d worn shorts and a t shirt on his run with Grey Wind, and was now sitting comfortably outside an outdoor cafe.

 

It was a beautiful day in the Reach. It always was though.

 

He hadn’t believed it when Sansa had first told him about it, he figured she was just trying to make him feel better about the move, but it was true. The weather was always beautiful, the air smelled like honeysuckle.

 

Everyone was happier here, too. As though there was more than just perfume in the air. Perhaps something in the water. It was like he’d been dropped into a village in a Disney movie.

 

He’d moved there a few months prior to open a new headquarters for Stark Industries. He’d be here for the next few years, though he traveled back to the North often on business and to see his family.

 

He was finishing up his iced coffee when Grey Wind’s ears perked and Robb’s gaze followed his.

 

 _Well done, buddy_.

 

His gaze had fallen on a girl walking towards them. She was on the short side and slender, coincidentally his type, wearing a white and dark blue sundress and a pair of brown sandals. She was holding a bouquet of hydrangeas in one hand and a bag from the village wine shop in the other. Her golden hair was up in a ponytail, showing off her elegant neck and she had a large pair of sunglasses on. Even with half of her face covered, she was undeniably pretty.

 

“Myrcella!,” the waitress exclaimed.

 

The girl who must have been Myrcella’s face broke into a wide, beautiful smile. It stirred something in Robb’s chest and he couldn’t help watching her as she set the flowers and wine down on the table next to his and lifted her sunglasses off her face.

 

He was an idiot, a fool. To call this girl merely pretty was an insult of the highest order. She was exquisite, stunning… so fucking pretty. All of her featuresin perfect sympathy with one another.

 

“Hi lovey!,” she grinned at the waitress, thankfully completely unaware of the stroke he was having.

 

She gave the waitress a hug, a real one, not one of those simpering ones he saw so many people down here trade.

 

“What can I get you?,” the waitress asked.

 

“An iced lavender latte please?,” Myrcella asked in a sweet voice and then rolled her eyes, “And yes one of those pistachio loafs if you have it - please tell me you don’t have it!”

 

The waitress giggled and went back inside and Myrcella looked at him for the first time. It was just a glance but his veins felt like they were on fire anyway.

 

And then all of a sudden she was very nearly in his lap.

 

“I’m so sorry!,” she exclaimed, her face just inches from his, her hands braced on his shoulders.

 

He had no idea what could have caused that turn of events but it certainly wasn’t something she should apologise for. She smelled like something clean and sweet, and up close he could see a little path of freckles dusting the bridge of her nose.

 

“That’s-,” he started and couldn’t help but grin at her, “That’s alright.”

 

Her pupils dilated and she said, “I think I’m caught…”

 

_Me too, sweetheart._

 

Then he looked down and realised what an idiot he was. And how smart his very good boy was who was going to get extra treats this afternoon.

 

Grey Wind had managed to wrap his leash around her slender ankle. In truth, she was lucky she hadn’t broken it.

 

“I’m so sorry!,” it was his turn to exclaim, though he wasn’t really, because she hadn’t broken her ankle and she really did smell amazing. “He um… usually only does this with my sisters and niece. He’s a sucker for a pretty face.”

 

To his delight Myrcella giggled and bent down. She took Grey Wind’s chin in her hand and cooed, “Well you’re a handsome devil, aren’t you? _Yes you are_ …”

 

Grey Wind’s tale thumped erratically as she scratched behind his ears. Robb took the opportunity to lean down and unwrap the leash. His knuckles brushed against her silky calf unintentionally when he did and her leg was instantly covered in goosebumps.

 

Her eyes flicked to his and if he wasn’t mistaken her gaze fell to his lips, “Thanks,” she grinned, “I’m Myrcella.”

 

“Robb,” he gulped, because they were still so close to each other. Grey Wind licked her cheek and he grinned, “And this flirt is Grey Wind.”

 

She giggled and held Grey Wind’s head to her chest and pressed a kiss to his head. Someone might think he neglected him with the way his dog burrowed into her like he’d never known such joy.

 

“Iced Lavender Latte, and…I’m sorry… but a pistachio loaf,” the waitress said and Myrcella stood up.

 

“Oh thank the gods,” she grinned and took it from her, she reached in her pocket and handed the girl a twenty.

 

“I’ll be right-,” the waitress started.

 

“Put it towards tuition,” Myrcella interrupted firmly.

 

“I’m not going to -“

 

“Yes, lovey, you are. Trust me,” Myrcella nodded.

 

The waitress sighed as though she had long been losing a war of wills against Myrcella. She thanked her and went back inside and Myrcella placed the loaf down on the table and took a sip of her latte.

 

“She should find out Tuesday,” he said stupidly.

 

“Hmm?,” Myrcella asked, the straw between her lips, her eyes wide as though she’d forgotten he was here.

 

He cleared his throat, trying to ignore the little droplet of her latte that was resting on her bottom lip. He wanted to lick it off of her.

 

“From um, universities…,” he clarified.

 

She quirked an eyebrow and asked, “Are you on an admissions board or something? Because if so you _really_ have to talk to her. She’s so bright… and she’s on the debate team and -“

 

He shook his head, “I’m sure she is but no…my little brother is a senior too and my mom said that all the letters will be posted online on Tuesday.”

 

She gave him a sheepish smile and nodded, “Oh well I hope your brother -“

 

“Myrcella Penelope Baratheon,” a stern voice cut in.

 

The beauty’s cheeks turned pink immediately and her eyes got wide.

 

“Barristan!,” she cooed.

 

“Don’t you Barristan me, young lady,” an old man reprimanded her. “I want a date.”

 

Robb was about to stand up and tell him that for one thing he was far too old for her and for another he shouldn’t speak to women like that and for _another_ that was his future wife he was speaking to so he could just mind his manners, thank you very much. But then a beautiful older woman joined him and smacked the back of his head.

 

“We already picked a date, she’s coming on Thursday,” the woman told him. Then turned to Myrcella, “I swear he never listens to anything I say.”

 

“Too busy admiring you,” Myrcella suggested as she stepped forward to place a kiss to the woman’s cheek and then one to Barristan’s.

 

_Is she the mayor? Or did I actually get dropped into a Disney movie?_

 

In the North, everyone from White Harbor to Greenwood Motte seemed to know each other, but that was just the way it was. Here though, even though it was a small town he never got the sense that it was quite as interconnected.

 

“I’m making that sole that you like,” the woman told her.

 

“Bless you,” Myrcella grinned, “What can I bring?”

 

“Nothing,” the man and woman said in tandem.

 

She fixed them with a stern look and Barristan sighed, “Well, if you happen to find some blackberries and peaches to make that tea cake…”

 

“Done, easy,” Myrcella nodded, “What else?”

 

“Him,” the older woman said and to Robb’s surprise she was looking right at him.

 

“Oh I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, Robb,” Myrcella said, “I didn’t realise that you knew Barristan and Ashara.”

 

“I uh don’t,” he shook his head, standing up. He held out his hand to Barristan first, “I’m Robb Stark.”

 

Barristan looked at him warily and then held his hand out as well, “Barristan Selmy,” and shook it firmly.

 

“Forgive him,” Ashara smiled, “He’s a dottering old fool for this one. I’m Ashara.”

 

“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” he said.

 

She had the most peculiar lavender eyes he’d ever seen and though she was clearly seventy or older she was a beauty still. He wondered if she and Myrcella were related. They didn’t look alike but there was clearly a tremendous amount of love between them and there was something in the way they carried themselves.

 

“I’m confused,” Myrcella admitted. “You all don’t know each other?”

 

“Well _now_ we do,” Ashara winked at him and pulled Myrcella to her side, holding her waist, “But he didn’t stop looking at you the entire time we were talking so…”

 

“Ashara!,” Myrcella blushed, hiding her face adorably in the older woman’s neck. “Don’t embarrass him.”

 

“She’s not wrong,” he admitted, “And I don’t embarrass easily. Certainly not for looking at a beautiful girl.”

 

“Well said!,” Ashara commended him, “Dinner is on Thursday at 8 o’clock. She’ll give you the address. Dress is casual, but we’ll eat outside and she always gets cold so bring her a sweater.”

 

Myrcella was beat red as Ashara pressed a kiss to her cheek and dragged Barristan away.

 

“She likes to meddle,” Myrcella explained, “I’m sorry.”

 

“I’m…not,” he told her.

 

She grinned and picked up her belongings and said, “Their address is 147 Plum Avenue. She likes lilies.”

 

“And what do you like?,” he wondered as she turned to walk away.

 

She glanced back at him, “Promptness. Don’t be late.” Then she turned on her heel and started walking away, “Bye handsome!”

 

“Bye!,” he called.

 

She didn’t turn around but he heard her giggle before she called back, “I was talking to Grey Wind!”

 

He grinned at her, though she couldn’t see it. He watched her walk down the block, a bounce in her step. He wasn’t sure if it was from their interaction or if it was just who she was, but it didn’t matter.

 

He didn’t look away until she turned the corner and then he looked down and saw Grey Wind staring right along with him, his leash in his mouth.

 

“I know buddy,” he nodded, rubbing his head, “Don’t worry. We’ll see her again.” Grey Wind let out a little whine and Robb grabbed his leash, “But for now let’s go get you some treats! Such a genius move with that leash buddy.”

 

Grey Wind looked at him and all but smiled, as though it was very well planned and he too was proud of himself.

 

They walked down the street and stopped at the high end pet boutique that he never went to. He almost got Grey Wind some $14 treats but left and got him a hamburger instead. They ran a few more errands and when he got back to his townhouse he wrote _147 Plum Avenue, 8 PM Thursday, lilies and an extra sweater_ on a piece of paper and slipped it under a magnet on his fridge _._

 

He turned on the Direwolves hockey game and Grey Wind hopped up on the couch with him and for the first time since he’d arrived, the Reach felt like home.


	2. The First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ahhh so happy ya'll are excited about this one! 
> 
> So yes, in this Tommen is older than her - I did that really for logistics - he has two kids and she is twenty-five in this.

“Tommy, Tommy, I really have to go,” she laughed into the phone, “I’m steps away from Ashara and Barristan’s.”

 

“ _You mean from your daaaate_?,” her older brother cooed at her.

 

She chuckled and shook her head, “Marg is such a gossip! I can’t believe she told you.”

 

“She tells me everything,” Tommen said and she could practically hear his grin. He was silent though for a moment and then asked, “You promise?”

 

She rolled her eyes, “Yes, of _course_ I promise! She’s going to love it, Tommy.”

 

It was her older brother Tommen and his wife Margery’s anniversary. They’d been together since early on in college - after her brief stint dating their older brother Joffrey - and had been desperately in love ever since.

 

He was worried about nothing. For one thing, though Margery didn’t shy away from letting him know exactly what she wanted and deserved, she loved him madly and would be happy just sitting on a park bench with him. For another thing, she was a mother to a four year old girl and one year old boy. She’d be happy sitting on a park bench…alone.

 

“Okay, now tell me about this guy,” Tommen prompted.

 

“No,” she said stubbornly, though she couldn’t help but grin.

 

Tommen chuckled and said, “Well he doesn’t stand a chance Ellabella. Have fun and say hi to Bar and Ash for me.”

 

“You too, Tommy, can’t wait to hear all the… PG details,” she joked.

 

She hung up to the sound of him laughing and walked up the stairs to Ashara and Barristan’s home. She knocked on the door and to her surprise it was Robb who answered.

 

_Oh gods he’s gorgeous._

 

She’d forgotten, kind of. It always happened to her with men she was really attracted to, she could never recreate them fully in her mind.

 

He was tall and lean, though there was a strength to him too, a sturdiness. His dark russet curls licked at his neck and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief and she wanted to gnaw on his jaw.

 

“Hi,” she said, as though she wasn’t melting into the floor.

 

“You’re late,” he teased with narrowed eyes, jutting his chin forward, “I prefer promptness.”

 

She let out a surprised giggle and his facade dropped entirely as a grin lit up his face.

 

“Here, let me take that,” he said as he took the cake she was holding from her hands, “Barristan and Ashara are in the kitchen and um they’re…”

 

“Fighting?,” she guessed.

 

“ _Yesss_ ,” he practically hissed and dragged her off to the side, and whispered, “ _What is that about_?”

 

She grinned and shrugged, “They always fight when they have company, and they always have company. They’ll be better at dinner.”

 

He nodded, “Okay, cool,” as though he hadn’t been fazed by it at all, and started walking towards the kitchen. He offered offhandedly, “You look beautiful by the way.”

 

She blushed in spite of herself as she watched him walk into the kitchen. She was wearing pale blue trousers and a white wrap top. She hadn’t wanted to get particularly dressed up for this dinner because she didn’t want to deal with Ashara’s knowing glances, but she’d wanted to look nice.

 

She followed him into the kitchen and found Ashara and Barristan in a state of disarray.

 

“Uh oh,” she said and they both turned to her shame-faced, “What’s going on here, then?”

 

“He forgot the wine you like,” Ashara told her.

 

“ _She_ forgot to tell me we were out of the wine you like,” Barristan corrected.

 

“Good thing _I_ brought that wine I like,” she shrugged, proffering the bottle she was holding. They both turned to look at each other and then came over to her and pressed kisses to her cheeks. She squealed, “Guys!”

 

She glanced at Robb and found him grinning at the display.

 

She had been hoping that he might ask for her number when they met at the cafe. There seemed to be a spark there between them immediately, something she hadn’t felt in a long while, if ever, but this was better. On a first date people always lied a little bit about themselves - they said they’d seen a movie, or loved it, they pretended to care about one thing and didn’t talk about something they really did care about. Even the most well intentioned person wasn’t wholly truthful, but here she wouldn’t be able to lie about who she was. Ashara and Barristan would never allow it.

 

Barristan and Ashara quickly put aside their enmities and they all took everything out to their back garden.

 

“By the gods,” Robb murmured.

 

“Stunning, isn’t it?,” she asked.

 

It was one of her favorite places in the world. Ashara adored gardening and Barristan had built her a sturdy outdoor dining room table. She’d convinced them to hang twinkly lights as well and it was like stepping into a dream.

 

He smiled at her and nodded and they all settled in around the table.

 

“So,” Robb started and Ashara winked at her. She abhorred a wilting flower and was always telling her that she had to meet someone who could keep up with her. “How do you all know each other?”

 

“I was her father’s CO in the war,” Barristan said, his eyes crinkling at her, “I didn’t keep in touch with him the way I should’ve but…”

 

Robb glanced at her and she supplied, “My father passed away when I was thirteen. That’s when I met Barristan and Ashara, at his funeral.”

 

“You should have seen her, Robb,” Ashara said before Robb could say anything, placing her hand on her heart, “That face, knobby knees, red eyes, I was a total goner, you understand.”

 

“I understand,” Robb confirmed.

 

Myrcella felt her cheeks getting hot so she went on, “We traded addresses and started writing to one another, and when I moved down here for university we started having dinner once a week.”

 

“We don’t have any children,” Barristan told him.

 

Robb looked at him and nodded and Barristan nodded back. She glanced at Ashara and she waved her off as if to say _Men._

 

“What about you?,” Ashara asked Robb, “What of your family?”

 

Robb cleared his throat and said, “Everyone’s up North. My mom and four younger siblings, two sisters and two brothers. The oldest of them is married to my best friend and has a little girl.”

 

“And your father?,” Ashara asked delicately.

 

Robb’s eyes crinkled sadly, “He passed away when I was sixteen.”

 

“I’m so sorry,” Myrcella said.

 

He looked over at her and said, “Thank you.”

 

She felt Ashara’s eyes on her. He had just passed another one of her tests.

 

_Too many people say thank you as though they don’t understand what it means. It is two syllables for a reason, make them count!_

 

She found that she couldn’t look away from Robb’s eyes though, and when she felt his foot against hers underneath the table, she didn’t move away. There was something solid in it, grounding. It didn’t feel presumptuous or odd.

 

It felt right, perfectly so.

 

***

 

It felt right, perfectly so, that after the meal was done he’d offer to walk Myrcella home.

 

He’d had a wonderful time, far better than he had expected. He would have gone to a heavy metal concert if it meant getting to spend time with Myrcella, but he had been worried a bit about dinner with Ashara and Barristan. The three of them obviously had something special between them, and his idea of a perfect first date did not include chaperones.

 

As soon as he’d sat down though he’d realised that this was something special, that they were something special. That they didn’t come together because of blood or duty, but because there was genuine love between them.

 

Barristan looked at Myrcella like she was his granddaughter, the way Uncle Brynden looked at Sansa, like the sun rose each morning because she willed it so. He was a solid man, a deeply solid man, and though he was understandably wary of him, they’d gotten to talking during dessert and by the end of it he was clapping him on the back.

 

Ashara was a spitfire, and one of the most interesting people he’d ever met. She’d been everywhere and done everything, he’d found out that her and Barristan had married late.

 

 _I had many lovers but very few loves, none as great as him_.

 

He loved watching Myrcella listen to her stories, _ooh ooh tell him about the time you ended up in the Summer Isles!_

 

The love and understanding between the two women was so deep, so visceral and rare.

 

And then there was Myrcella. Myrcella Baratheon, her name alone would haunt him until the end of his days.

 

She was stunning, undeniably so, but her brightness had little to do with her looks and everything to do with who she was. Her mannerisms were unexpected and endearing, her ability to flit from one topic to the next deftly and always twisting it into some sort of joke, as though she was used to the world laughing with her. She was mesmerising.

 

She had his sweater draped over her shoulders as he walked her through the streets and the breeze was playing with her hair. Her brightness really did have very little to do with her beauty, but even still that was there as well, taunting him.

 

“Ashara adores you,” Myrcella smiled.

 

“No, she adores _you_ ,” Robb corrected, “I’m just a means to an end.”

 

Myrcella glanced up at him, “And what end would that be?”

 

“Your happiness, hopefully,” he told her matter-of-factly.

 

It was obvious, the way Ashara looked between them. It had been obvious from the start when she’d invited him. He didn’t flatter himself to think it had anything to do with _him_ , it was for her. All of it.

 

“You’re very good,” she grinned, “That sort of thing just rolls off your tongue, doesn’t it?”

 

He chuckled and shook his head, “Not really. It’s just obvious. She’d hang the moon for you, and she’ll keep me around as long as I keep a smile on your face.”

 

“And why would you want to do that?,” she teased, nudging her hip against his.

 

He liked how playful she was. His last girlfriend had been so serious. Beautiful and kind, but not _fun_. Myrcella was seemingly all three.

 

“Oh I have my reasons,” he evaded and she laughed.

 

“So, let’s talk about that wingman of yours,” she said sternly.

 

“Grey Wind?,” he wondered.

 

“The very same,” she nodded, “He’s even better than you are.”

 

He chuckled, “And he knows it. Honestly though… that’s the first time he’s ever done that with someone not related to me. Like I said he does it to my sisters all the time, and as soon as my niece Kitty is around he starts herding her.”

 

“How old is she? Your niece I mean?,” she asked.

 

“Four going on seventeen,” he chuckled, “She is going to give Jon - my brother-in-law _such_ a hard time. It’s the best.”

 

She giggled, “You’re evil!”

 

“Hey, he married my sister, I think he deserves a little torture,” he grinned and she peered up at him knowingly, so he admitted, “He’s the best guy I know.”

 

She smiled, “Our nieces are the same age by the way. Joey is also trouble personified.”

 

“Joey?,” he asked, thinking of his sister Arya and how she went by Arry until she was about fifteen, “I like that.”

 

She nodded, “For my grandmother, Joanna. And they have a little baby boy too, James - for my uncle Jaime. Us Lannisters are very into _family_.”

 

“So are we Starks,” he said, though for some reason he felt as though they didn’t mean it in quite the same way.

 

She smiled anyway though, and he’d have hung the moon just to keep it on her face.

 

***

 

Her smile was set on her face as though someone was holding it steady - because someone was.

 

Robb.

 

He was everything she hadn’t dared hope he’d be. Kind, intelligent, funny. He had a confidence to him that made him great company, without ever once verging into cocky. He simply knew who he was and was happy with it. As he should be.

 

“Well, this is me,” she told him as they got to her little brick townhouse, taking his sweater off of her shoulders and handing it to him.

 

“It suits you,” he approved, “Very happy.”

 

She grinned and looked up at it, with its little window boxes and the swing on the front porch, “I like to think so.”

 

When she turned back to him he was looking at her intently. She wasn’t sure that she’d ever been looked at quite like that. Certainly not by a man like him.

 

It felt good, and hopeful, and with the smell of honeysuckle in the air and his light blue collared shirt and the way he seemed to tower over her, it all felt perfect for a moment.

 

He was still looking at her, his lips slightly parted, his long lashes framing his gorgeous blue eyes.

 

“Don’t kiss me,” she pleaded softly, “It’ll ruin it.”

 

“I wasn’t going to kiss you,” he demurred, his voice like gravel as though he was in a dream. She couldn’t help but fix him with a look and he chuckled and nodded, “Alright, I was.”

 

She grinned, and though it had been her suggestion she found herself disappointed that he’d relented. She gave him one last smile and started walking up her front steps.

 

“Myrcella?,” he asked, and somehow he was just behind her.

 

She turned and he was on the step below her but she still had to look up at him just the teeniest bit. He was standing so close to her and he trailed his finger down her cheek, under her chin and tilted it up towards him. His eyes held hers in a trance and she felt her lips parting slightly in anticipation.

 

“Believe me when I tell you that when I do kiss you,” he murmured, his lips only inches from hers, “It won’t ruin anything.”

 

She blinked, trying to understand what had just happened and he gave her a roguish grin and hopped down the stairs and walked down her front path.

 

She grinned at him, though he couldn’t see it. She watched him walk down the block, a bounce in his step. She wasn’t sure if it was from their interaction or if it was just who he was, but it didn’t matter.

 

She walked inside, a smile still on her face, and walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. She pulled her phone out of her bag and saw that she had fifty text messages, twelve missed calls, and four voicemails.

 

A cold dread crept through her veins, and she wanted to go back in time. She wanted to stand on her front steps and let a beautiful boy kiss her. She was a fool, that wouldn’t have ruined anything, but this, whatever had happened, would.

 

It would ruin everything.

 

She took a deep, steady breath and pressed play on her voicemail and raised it to her ear.

 

_Myrcella, darling, it’s Uncle Jaime… I’m so sorry, there’s been a terrible accident…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to hear what you think!! xo


	3. The Aftermath

 

She was late to her own brother’s wake.

 

There had been storms in the Crownlands, terrible storms, the kind of storms that could make one of the best drivers she knew take a turn the wrong way. That could make a car flip. That could kill her brother and his beloved wife.

 

The storms were still raging with a vengeance and she was sure that there had been some bribes made to get her and a small group of brave travellers to King’s Landing.

 

She hurriedly paid her taxi and straightened her dress and ran in the front door of her family’s ancestral home. People in the room turned to look at her as soon as she arrived and she forced herself to straighten her posture and acknowledge a few of them.

 

She walked through with as much dignity as she could muster until she found her mother standing in the middle of a small crowd, a handkerchief clutched in her hand.

 

“Mother,” she interrupted.

 

Cersei Lannister was still the most beautiful woman she’d ever known, but she looked severe in black - cruel, almost. Her face was gaunt, her eyes a bit wild. She may play the simpering mother for these fools, but Myrcella knew the truth, this had nearly killed her, too.

 

“Oh sweet one,” her mask said, holding her arms out for her.

 

Myrcella walked into them dutifully and wrapped her arms around her mother as well.

 

“My poor Tommen, my precious boy,” her mother said and Myrcella stroked her hair.

 

“I know,” she gulped, willing herself not to cry.

 

She would not be the tableau of grief these people so wanted her to be. She still remembered the murmuring voices at her father’s wake, the way her mother had told her not to make an exhibition of herself.

 

“Ella,” a deep voice said.

 

 _No, no, no, no, no, no_.

 

“You shouldn’t be here,” her mother snapped.

 

“Of _course_ he should,” she snapped back and released her. She turned and looked into her father’s eyes. They were rimmed in red. She breathed out, “Gendry.”

 

Her big brother caught her to him and held her tight. She buried her face in his neck.

 

“Just hold it a little bit longer, little one,” he urged her, “I’ve got you, I’ve _got_ you, I’m going to get you out of here and away from these peacocks.”

 

“The kids,” she said in his ear and he nodded.

 

It had been her first question when she’d called her Uncle Jaime back. _Where are they? Where are Joey and James?_

 

They were still with their nanny, thanks be to the gods. They were safe and sound, but their lives had been irrevocably changed.

 

They were all she had thought of since.

 

Gendry set her down and she turned back to her mother. “Where are the kids?”

 

Her mother waved her hand and said, “With the nanny, poor things.”

 

She felt Gendry’s hand on her shoulder in warning and so rather than give her mother the mouthful she would have liked to she turned away. Gendry fell into step with her and nobody stopped her with him by her side. A few people gasped when they saw them. _Cersei Lannister and Robert Baratheon come again,_ people always said when they saw the pair of them. _Without the drinking problems!_ some would add.

 

She ignored everyone and wove her way through the crowd. She thought about where she and Tommen always ended up during parties, where they had ended up during their father’s wake when their mother had gotten sick of their grief, so she walked through the familiar halls until she got to a small sitting room off to the side.

 

“Auntie Ella!,” a distraught voice called and she fell to the ground and opened her arms so that her niece, already charging towards her, could fall into them.

 

Joey started sobbing immediately and Myrcella rocked her back and forth, stroking her soft blonde curls.

 

“W-w-w-here h-h-have y-y-y-ou b-bb— _een_?,” she sobbed.

 

She knew Joey didn’t really want an answer, she didn’t want to hear about flight delays and extreme turbulence, so she merely said, “I’m sorry, my love. I’m so sorry, I’m here now, I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

 

She looked up at her nanny and mouthed _Thank you_. Eglantine nodded at her, rocking James back and forth. The woman looked dead on her feet. It was obvious that her mother hadn’t spent more than a moment with her grandchildren since everything had happened.

 

“Hold on, my love, I just want to check on your brother okay?,” she asked her niece.

 

Joey’s grip tightened on her, so she stood up holding her and walked across the room to where Eglantine was holding James. He was sleeping soundly in her arms and Myrcella envied him - he didn’t yet know what he’d lost.

 

“What can we do for you?,” she asked Eglantine.

 

“Nothing, miss,” Eglantine said, “What can I do for you? Can I make you something to eat? You must be famished from your trip.”

 

She looked into the woman’s eyes and saw such a profound tiredness there that she nearly flinched.

 

“How long have you been with them?,” she asked.

 

The woman’s eyes widened and she shook her head, “It wouldn’tve been right, leaving them.”

 

_More like my mother told you if you left you’d be fired without compensation._

 

She kissed her niece’s hair and said, “Okay, my love, you’re going to go to your Uncle Gendry for a minute, alright?”

 

She nearly smiled when she felt Joey’s grip loosen on her. There weren’t many people she’d go to willingly when she was scared, but she loved her Uncle Gendry madly.

 

“Come’ere darlin’,” Gendry cooed at her as he took Joey from her arms.

 

Her niece settled against his chest as he walked over to one of the sofas. She was already asleep by the time he sat down, burrowed into his neck the way she had just been. Gendry stroked her hair rhythmically, rocking back and forth.

 

She took James from Eglantine carefully, trying not to wake him. She marvelled at how much he’d grown since she’d seen him last month. He shifted slightly and opened his eyes. They looked into hers for a moment with more wisdom than a one year old should be able to and gave her a small smile before he fell back to sleep.

 

“Go,” she said to Eglantine, “Get some rest and something to eat. It’s a zoo here, do you need me to call you a taxi?”

 

Eglantine shook her head and with a _bless you_ she was gone.

 

She went and sat on the couch next to Gendry, and he shifted Joey so that he could wrap his arm around her too.

 

“These kids,” he said into her hair, “They’re all I’ve been thinking about since I heard. Tom and Marg were such good parents they - who - who’s going to raise them now? Not your mother…”

 

_“Can it tell my fortune?,” she giggled as she stroked Margery’s orb-like stomach lovingly._

 

_Margery chuckled and shook her head as she sat down, “Not your fortune, but your fate, maybe.”_

 

_Myrcella glanced at her and Margery held her hand out for her. She took it and sat next to her, and was surprised that her sweet sister-in-law was gripping it harshly._

 

_“Marg?,” she wondered._

 

_Margery stroked her stomach and there were tears in her eyes, “Our lawyers suggested that Tommy and I make a plan… for if something were to happen to us…”_

 

_“Are you sick? Is Tommy?,” Myrcella wondered._

 

 _“No, no, sweetling we’re perfectly, perfectly fine,” Margery assured her and smiled, “And if the gods are kind we will have many children and grandchildren and be there to_ torture _them all,” Myrcella giggled and Margery went on, “But if we aren’t… we’d want someone to raise them who would love them as much as we would, someone who would make them laugh and play, someone who wouldn’t try to judge or control…”_

 

_“So my mother,” Myrcella joked and Margery let out a tear-filled laugh. She took hold of her sister-in-law’s hands and said, “You are going to be the most wonderful mother to this baby girl and any babies that come after her, but if anything happens to you or Tommy, she and they will always have a home with me. Even if something doesn’t - they might just like me better anyway.”_

 

_“And you realise what I’m asking,” Margery urged._

 

_“I realise what I’m promising,” Myrcella assured her._

 

She looked up at him and said, “I think I am…”

 

***

 

He was trying not to be desperate. He really was. It was difficult though.

 

He’d sent Myrcella a text as soon as he’d gotten home after their dinner, and he figured she was just playing it cool when she didn’t answer that night. When he checked in the morning and saw nothing it seemed a little stranger and by the next night he was concerned something might actually be wrong.

 

 _Or more likely she’s just not that into you_.

 

He’d sent her a text the next morning, clarifying his original one, which may have seemed a bit too forward, and waited another six hours.

 

Finally he tried calling her, after spending far too long crafting an elaborate story about a pocket-dial should she actually pick-up.

 

She didn’t though, and she didn’t call him back either. It had been five days.

 

He’d realised this as he emptied his dishwasher and pulled out the plastic container that Ashara had given him leftovers in. It seemed rude not to return it to her, and he picked up some more lilies as a thank you and an excuse to go over there.

 

It was Barristan who opened the door and the old man looked a bit haggard.

 

“Robb, come in, I’m sorry we’re a bit disheveled, we’ve just gotten back,” he said and stepped aside to let him in.

 

“I’m sorry to just drop in on you like this,” Robb told him, realising how ill-conceived his plan was. He hadn’t even known they were out of town.

 

He’d only met them twice, he hadn’t reached the point where he could just randomly drop by.

 

“Nonsense, you’re welcome anytime,” Barristan told him kindly though and gestured for him to go back into the kitchen.

 

He went back there and saw Ashara at the sink, scrubbing a pan.

 

“Who was it?,” she asked.

 

“Me,” he said helplessly.

 

She turned and he fought the urge to flinch. She looked as though she’d aged ten years since he’d seen her last. She gave him a kind look though and wiped her hands on a towel and came over to him.

 

She pressed a warm kiss to his cheek and took the flowers from him, “They are lovely, Robb, as are you.”

 

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said, feeling terribly guilty about the whole thing. He held up the plastic container, “I just wanted to return this and thank you again for such a wonderful evening.”

 

She smiled at him and stroked his cheek, “You’re a good boy. Sit, I’ll make you something to eat.”

 

“Oh, no really…,” he demurred.

 

Barristan came into the kitchen and said, “You may as well sit, son, no man has ever won a war of wills against her.”

 

“So, what can you tell us?,” Ashara asked as he sat down. She looked at him conspiratorially and said, “We’d like some good news.”

 

He figured she wondered if he had made use of Myrcella’s telephone number which she’d slipped into his hand as he was leaving.

 

“Unfortunately, none to report,” he sighed, “I’ve been trying to get a hold of Myrcella since-“

 

He stopped talking when both Ashara and Barristan looked at him, identical faces of grief. The blood ran cold in his veins and he gulped.

 

“You haven’t heard?,” Ashara asked.

 

 _No, no, no, no, no_. Nothing could have happened to her. It wasn’t possible.

 

He was such an idiot, he _knew_ there was something wrong and he’d just acted like a lovesick fool.

 

“Where is she?,” he practically growled.

 

“She’s in King’s Landing, she’s alright,” Ashara told him calmly.

 

“She is _not_ alright,” Barristan argued with her, “That girl hasn’t eaten or slept in days and that moth-“

 

“Is she sick?,” he wondered.

 

“No, my dear,” Ashara shook her head, “Her brother… and his wife, they passed away in a car accident.”

 

 _Oh sweetheart,_ he thought. He wanted to hug her or talk to her or just… _be_ there with her. He couldn’t imagine losing one of his siblings and his heart broke for her.

 

And the terrible, sick part of him felt relief that she hadn’t been ignoring him. Unfortunately, that part of him is the part that controlled the muscles in his face.

 

“Are you… smiling?,” Ashara asked him incredulously.

 

“What?,” he asked, “No, no of course not!” She fixed him with a stern look and he wondered if that was where Myrcella had learned hers. It was a look that said _I see into your very soul, Robb Stark so you may as well be honest_. “I just…have been texting her and calling and…hadn’t heard back.”

 

“Well yes because her _brother_ died,” Ashara snapped at him and he hung his head in shame.

 

To his surprise it was Barristan who came to his defence and said, “Calm down, the boy’s just got a crush, that’s all.”

 

 _That’s not all,_ he thought stubbornly, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good to argue with the person defending him.

 

He wasn’t sure how to explain it, but it felt like more than a crush. He hadn’t ever felt this way about anyone so quickly, usually he had to be talked into settling down, certain that he wouldn’t be able to give them the time or energy that they needed. With Myrcella though, it was like she consumed him. He didn’t even notice other pretty girls now and he hadn’t even kissed her.

 

It was more than just attraction, too, there was something deeper, sturdier than that, which he couldn’t quite place or understand, but nevertheless he felt more acutely than anything he’d ever felt before.

 

And the chill that ran down his spine at the thought of her harmed had threatened to knock him off his feet.

 

“Yes well he’s just going to have to get _over_ that, isn’t he?,” Ashara asked, “She has too much on her plate to even be think-“

 

“Too much on her plate?,” he wondered.

 

Ashara stopped and looked at him sympathetically, “Her brother and his wife named her sole guardian of their two children.”

 

He nodded immediately, knowing how much sense that made. He and Jon had talked about it before Kitty was born, if anything happened to them she’d go to him. He still remembered Jon asking him, how much he’d assured him that it was alright if he wasn’t comfortable, as though there was a world in which he’d turn away their child. He was her godfather and loved her more than life itself, just as he loved them.

 

Just as Myrcella must love her niece and nephew.

 

Ashara shook her head and sighed, rubbing her forehead as though this thought had been keeping her up at night, She has become a mother _overnight_ to a grieving four year old and a one year old and I think you’re charming - I really _do_ , I know you’re a good boy but she needs to think of _them_ and _herself_.”

 

He knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t be thinking of herself for years yet. All of her thoughts, all of them, would be for the kids.

 

“She’s going to be a wonderful mother,” he said after a moment.

 

He glanced at Ashara and she nodded with tears in her eyes, “She is. One of the best. But you understand what this means, don’t you? If she isn’t _the one_ then you have to walk away. It just isn’t fair otherwise. She doesn’t have the time or the energy or the-“

 

“I get it,” he promised, and he looked her dead in the eyes and said, “And I’m not going anywhere.”

 

It wasn’t even a decision. He hadn’t realised the fullness of his feelings until the idea of never seeing her again had been presented to him, and while there was no explaining them, there was no denying them either.

 

Myrcella Baratheon was the girl for him. There was nothing truer than that.

 

For the first time since he’d arrived Ashara smiled and then she shook her head, “She’s going to fight you.”

 

“Every step of the way I’d imagine,” he sighed.

 

She’d want to do it all on her own, of that he was sure. She’d try to push him away, tell him that it wasn’t what he signed up for. She’d tell him everything was different now, that the carefree girl he’d met that time was gone and she was never coming back.

 

She’d tell him that she didn’t have time, or energy. That she didn’t want to confuse the kids.

 

He could see it all. He knew exactly how it was going to play out.

 

Ashara walked over to him and patted his cheek, “Then you’ll need your strength. You’ll stay for dinner.”

 

“I’d love to,” he admitted, “Can I do anything to help?”

 

“Yes!,” Ashara nodded and handed him her laptop, “We can’t figure out how to get this website to work, we’re trying to buy a crib for them but we want it _assembled_ , and then Barristan couldn’t find out how to get the - what’s that thing called?”

 

“Tracking information,” Barristan said, putting on his glasses and pointing at the computer like it had committed a crime, “The damn package was supposed to get here _yesterday_ but it won’t tell me anything.”

 

He chuckled in spite of himself and grabbed the computer. Myrcella may want to do this on her own, but there was no way these two would let her.

 

He remembered the look Barristan had given him at dinner when he’d said _We don’t have any children_. It had been unnecessary, because everything about the way they looked at her and spoke of her told him everything he needed to know. That she was it, she was it for them. That there wasn’t a thing in this world they wouldn’t do for her, that there wasn’t a price to high or task too low.

 

She meant everything to them, and their opinion seemingly meant everything to her.

 

“Can you do me a favor?,” he asked them. They both looked at him expectantly and he said, “Please don’t tell her I smiled.”

 

They both looked at him grimly and then Ashara smiled, “Find out where in the world our twenty four packages of diapers are and then we’ll talk…”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ya'll still with me? xo


	4. The Village

 

“Hi Gendry,” she yawned as she pushed her finally empty suitcase to the back of her closet.

 

“You sound beat, little one, when did you all get in?,” he asked.

 

“Landed a few hours ago, Barristan picked us up and he and Ash took us to dinner. You should see what they’ve done to my house,” she sighed, “I never should have given them a key.”

 

“What’d they do?,” he asked.

 

What _hadn’t_ they done?

 

Barristan had picked her and the kids up at the airport, two car seats all ready to go. He’d brought them back to her townhouse and Ashara had been waiting for them, taking James out of her arms immediately and telling her about the litter box in the back mudroom that she’d gotten for Ser Pounce.

 

They’d ordered a crib already. She’d only ordered a pack-and-play, not being able to find one online that could be able to delivered assembled. She had planned to make Gendry drive down James’ crib from home when he brought the rest of the kids things in a couple of weeks.

 

They’d also ordered a changing table and stocked it with enough diapers to absorb a monsoon. Ashara had gone to the grocery store and stocked her fridge and pantry.

 

“What my mother should have done,” she said. “They’re amazing. Joey made Barristan stay and read her a bedtime story. She’s obsessed with him.”

 

“It seemed pretty mutual,” Gendry noted.

 

Myrcella nodded, though he couldn’t see her. Ashara and Barristan had been incredible when they came for the funeral. They’d watched Joey and James while she met with the lawyers, Ashara even made sure that her mother ate - though she despised her.

 

Joey had taken immediate liking to both of them and Barristan had devoted as much time as possible to her, lighting up whenever she smiled.

 

“So I’ll send you an updated list of things to bring down,” she told him, “Because at this point we can probably half it. Is it alright if I let you know next weekend? I think I’ll have a better idea once we get settled.”

 

“No problem,” Gendry said, “Do you want me to come down next weekend? I could bring a couple of bags on the plane and I could… I don’t know… help?”

 

“I love you for asking,” she told him honestly, “And your room is here and waiting for you whenever you want it, but you don’t have to. Your life is there, I can’t ask you to put it on hold just for me.”

 

He guffawed, “If not for you than _who_?,” he asked and her heart hurt. He was so good, “Plus they are my niece and nephew too… and I used to see them all the time and -“

 

“Wait, I didn’t mean to say you _couldn’t_ come, you’re welcome anytime you know that. They’d love it, and so would I,” she told him honestly. He was silent for a few moments and she finally asked, “Gendry?”

 

“I put in notice,” he told her, “At work.”

 

“You did?,” she whispered.

 

She didn’t want to cry. She hadn’t, somehow, since that first night. It felt like if she started crying she might never stop again and she had to be strong. For Tommy and Marg, and more importantly, for Joey and James.

 

“Yeah I just… I think I should move down there. My boss gets it, and he set me up with an interview when I drive the kids’ stuff down. But I was hoping to stay a few extra days and look for apartments,” he said. “I realised that I didn’t really have a life here, Tom and Marg were just good enough to let me be a part of theirs…I’m hoping you’ll do the same.”

 

“Of course you can - stay I mean, as long as you want. Oh Gendry… I didn’t want to ask but… I didn’t know how I was going to do this without you close by,” she confessed.

 

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say,” he told her and she could practically hear his sheepish grin.

 

They talked for a few more minutes and hung up, with promises of speaking again closer to the weekend to come up with a plan. She sent an email to a friend of a friend that worked in real estate to get him an appointment the weekend he came down.

 

Her phone started buzzing and she wanted to ignore it but then she saw _Uncle Renly_ on the caller ID.

 

“How is he?,” she asked as she picked up.

 

Renley sighed, “Better. A bit, anyway. I’m so sorry.”

 

She waved him off though he couldn’t see her, “There is no easy way of dealing with what has happened, and I know how much he loves the kids…”

 

“Even still, we should have been there to help,” Renley said, “I mean, just the thought of years from now that he’ll have to know that he didn’t make it to his own sister’s funeral…”

 

“The important thing is that he’s doing better right now, and when everything isn’t so fresh you can help him through it,” she said.

 

“You’re far too wise to be my niece,” Renley told her, “I’m convinced you were body snatched years ago. How are _you_ doing though, Mommy?”

 

“I’m not a Mommy,” she all but snapped and then sighed, “I’m sorry I-“

 

“No, I’m sorry,” Renley said, “Irreverence is not my most desirable quality. Really though, how are you doing? What can I do?”

 

She smiled a bit at that. _It takes a village._ She’d always heard that but had never really understood it. Until now. Until she was suddenly the guardian to a very scared four year old and a one year old who didn’t understand how irrevocably his life had changed.

 

“Take care of Loras,” she told him, “Joey’s going to be asking for you both soon enough, she knows you live down here. Just take care of him and let me know when he, or you, would like to see the kids. It’s an open invitation, you know that.”

 

Renley was silent for a moment and then said, “You father would have been so proud of you, little one. So would Tommy. So am I.”

 

“Love you,” she said, because people really had to stop trying to make her cry tonight.

 

“Love you, too, little one,” he said.

 

She hung up and looked around her room. Somehow it resembled order and she went to go make sure the kitchen was in order as well but paused when she looked at herself in the mirror.

 

_Who is that?_

 

Her hair was up in a limp, messy bun, there were deep circles underneath her eyes, her clothes hung against her as though they’d been worn for days. She lifted her t-shirt to her nose.

 

_By the gods._

 

And padded right to the bathroom.

 

She hadn’t realised how dirty she was until she’d gotten in the shower, until she’d lathered her hair in shampoo. She washed it twice more to get the grease out and her fingers were pruning by the time she got out.

 

She wrapped her pale purple robe around her and went to check on James and Joey. James was fast asleep, so fast asleep that she placed a hand on his back to check to make sure he was breathing. Joey was still awake, singing to herself softly. She gave her a little wave and closed the door once again, holding the monitor in her hand for both kids.

 

She padded down the stairs to her kitchen. It was bursting with goodies, but she wasn’t looking for food. She opened her fridge and pulled out a bottle of white wine and opened it, pouring herself a generous glass before depositing the bottle back.

 

She took a sip as she pulled out a pad of paper and started writing _to-do_. She had to find a paediatrician and request the kids immunisation forms from their old one. She had to start an application for pre-school for Joey. It was very late in the year, but hopefully if she dropped her family’s name and willingness to make a substantial donation they’d let her in. She’d already called her boss and let her know that she’d have to take a leave of absence, but there would be some forms to sign and some clients to call. She’d have to buy some gates for when James started walking and start interviewing babysitters to have on call in case of an emergency.

 

She was mid-way through her list when she heard her doorbell ring. She sprinted to it, not wanting it to be rung again and wake James up.

 

She opened the door and standing there, as though he wasn’t just a figment of her imagination, as though he was very real, and just as perfect as she remembered, was Robb Stark.

 

***

 

_She’s real._

 

He’d started to wonder. It was dramatic, it’d only been about a week, but he felt the memory of her slipping through his fingers like silk.

 

He’d stopped calling and texting her after his dinner with Barristan and Ashara, though he’d spent a fair bit of time with them over the past few days. He hadn’t been able to find a crib that came assembled so he’d come over with Barristan last night and got it set up.

 

So he knew she was real, logically, considering he’d been in her home only yesterday, but even still.

 

She looked exhausted, how could she not? There were deep purple circles underneath her eyes that matched the robe secured over her slender frame. More slender than it had been the last time he’d seen her.

 

Even still, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And for a brief moment, she looked incandescently happy to see him.

 

“Robb!,” she exclaimed, then rubbed her forehead, “I…I’m so sorry, I know I owe you a phone call, I’ve been out of town.”

 

“I know,” he nodded and tried to keep his voice measured when he said, “I heard.”

 

“You heard,” she repeated.

 

She looked like she was trying to stop her lower lip from trembling, and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms.

 

“I did,” he said and stepped forward.

 

“I’m going to be okay,” she said, holding her hand up in front of her.

 

“I know,” he told her honestly.

 

It was going to be hard, nearly impossible, but he knew she could do it. She’d be alright, she’d be a wonderful mother, that was obvious.

 

And she was the one for him, he was surer of that now than anything.

 

“But everything’s different now,” she warned him.

 

And she was going to fight him every step of the way.

 

He looked at her sombrely and promised, “I know that too.”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she told him.

 

“We don’t have to,” he promised, but he stepped forward again and this time she didn’t step away, “But the thing is, Myrcella, it’s been over a week now since I last saw you, and I really missed you. So I’m going to hug you and you’re just going to have to let me until _I_ feel better.”

 

“Robb,” she sighed.

 

In her defence, it was just about the worst lie in the history of the world.

 

“Please,” he begged.

 

Because in truth it wasn’t wholly a lie.

 

She nodded and he stepped forward, into her house. She was so small that he had to bend at the knees to wrap his arms around her back. He stood there for a moment awkwardly, just holding her, before he felt her arms wrap around his neck.

 

The moment he felt her forehead against his neck he tightened his arms around her.

 

And then a sound that would haunt him for the rest of his days left her chest as a sob welled up inside of her.

 

“I’m okay,” she argued with herself, as she tightened her arms around his neck and gripped his shirt in her hands.

 

“I know,” he nodded, cupping the back of her head and kissing her temple. She burrowed into him even closer and he held her tighter, lifting her off the ground. “You just missed me too, I get it.”

 

To his utter surprise a laugh bubbled up inside of her and then she hugged him tighter still.

 

They stayed like that for a long moment, and he would have held her all night if she let him. Sooner than he would have imagined though, her tears stopped.

 

“I did though,” she confessed, “Actually.”

 

He set her down and they both raised their hands to her face at the same moment to wipe her tears. He wrapped his hand around hers and she interlaced their fingers.

 

He glanced down at her and noticed the she’d gotten a bit disheveled, her robe less firmly around her than it had been a moment ago. He didn’t see anything, not really, just her clavicle and the hint of what was underneath. Just enough to torture him.

 

He cleared his throat and averted his gaze, “Your um… robe.”

 

She gave him a funny look and then looked down and turned around retying it. It meant that she opened it entirely for a moment and though he saw absolutely nothing just the idea of her completely bared made him weak in the knees.

 

When she turned back the robe was very securely fastened around her and her cheeks were a bit pink.

 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t open the door like this,” she said.

 

“I’m the _opposite_ of complaining about it,” he confessed.

 

She smiled and rolled her eyes. Her face fell though.

 

“I’m a mess, Robb,” she told him.

 

“It’s just a robe…,” he pointed out.

 

“No, I mean… _I_ am a mess…,” she argued and he closed the door, knowing this would be a longer conversation. She looked at him and gave him a far off smile that would have made his heart sore if there wasn’t so much pain underneath it, “When I met you I thought… _who is this guy_? I… felt something that I haven’t in a really long time, maybe ever, I don’t know but… this is… this is not what you signed up for when you started talking to me outside the cafe… the girl you met is gone.”

 

It was exactly what he thought she’d say. So thankfully he prepared for it.

 

“I know that,” he told her, “And she seemed pretty great. Spectacular really. But the woman you’ve become? The one you’re going to become, for them? I have to know her.”

 

She let out a little sigh and went to step towards him but shook her head and stepped away instead.

 

“I don’t have any time,” she argued, “I showered for the first time in _three days_ just before you got here.”

 

“Grey Wind sleeps in my bed after I take him swimming so…”

 

“Ew.”

 

“I know,” he chuckled, and stepped closer, “Look it’s going to be hard, I know that. And I know that I’m not a priority, trust me, I _get_ it. I really do. But -“

 

“No!,” she argued, “No _buts_. You are such a good guy, Robb. I knew it the second I met you. And you are intelligent and gorgeous and you deserve someone that is going to be able to -“

 

“But that’s the thing,” he cut her off, because she wanted him, even if she didn’t want to, and there was so much hope in that. “I don’t see anyone else. I literally _tripped_ over a woman the other day because I didn’t see her.”

 

“That’s a problem, Robb,” Myrcella pointed out.

 

“I know, I made an appointment with my eye doctor because I actually think my prescription is a little wonky right now, but that’s besides the point,” he argued, “If I thought I could be happy with someone else, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’d let you deal with this on your own, grieve on your own, not for my sake but for yours. But I can’t. I just can’t imagine it. And I know you can’t date, I know you can’t. I know that your time isn’t your own anymore. I know it isn’t. I’m not expecting anything. But you can. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

 

“I can’t decide anything tonight,” she told him, “I’m not in my right mind - I… I’m so tired.”

 

She wasn’t saying that the way people say it after a long week at work or a bad sleep. She was tired, profoundly so, that was obvious.

 

He remembered Sansa during the first few weeks of Kitty’s life when she had colic.

 

“Of course you are, sweetheart,” he agreed, “You just lost your brother and now you’re a single parent to his children and I remember Sansa when she had Kitty and that was only one and you now have two and she had Jon and my mom and you’re on your own and I don’t how are you what how-“

 

“Robb?,” she asked, closing the distance between them, “Breathe, breathe, it’s alright, I’m alright,” she said, her hands on his cheeks, “Breathe.”

 

He took big, selfish gulps of air. He was sweating all of a sudden, but it was a cold sweat.

 

He felt her hands stroking his hair, _shh shh shh_.

 

“I’m sorry,” he gasped.

 

He hadn’t had a panic attack since his father died, and the lights felt too bright and he felt a ringing in his ears.

 

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” she said in a soothing voice, and somehow he ended up in a chair. She went to let go and he held her wrists. She placed a kiss to his forehead, and said, “I’m just getting you a glass of water, I’ll be right back, I promise. It’s alright.”

 

He nodded and released her and he closed his eyes, trying to stave off the sense of vertigo that often came along with these.

 

He felt a warm hand on his forehead and he opened his eyes to see her perched on the arm of the chair.

 

“How are you feeling? Are you dizzy?,” she asked.

 

She was so close and her green eyes were so wide and beautiful and her golden hair was framing her face like a halo.

 

“A little,” he admitted.

 

“Sip this,” she said and raised the glass to his lips.

 

He took a sip and looked into her eyes which were full of concern. She nodded at him and stroked his hair, encouraging him to take a bit more.

 

He sipped dutifully and the ringing stopped after a minute.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said when his heart rate turned back to normal. “I came over here to take care of you and you ended up taking care of me.”

 

She shrugged, “It’s what I do now,” then glanced at him, “Are you alright? Really?”

 

He nodded, “I got these a bunch when my father died. There was so much to do and my brothers and sisters were so sad and my mother was practically comatose in grief and I was trying to keep it together and then sometimes I’d just…”

 

“Panic?,” she supplied. He nodded. She stroked his cheek, “Me too. The first time I changed James’ diaper I ended up huddled into a ball on the floor. I… my fingers couldn’t seem to get the tabs right and I just lost feeling in them and I… I haven’t told anyone that.”

 

“Your secret is safe with me,” he promised, his hand around her wrist, his finger stroking the underside where he could feel the reassuring _beat, beat, beat._ “I don’t know how you’re doing it, Myrcella.”

 

“Because I have to,” she said softly, “And I want to. I love them, Robb. More than life itself. I always have. But -“

 

“Don’t say it,” he shook his head, “I know what you’re going to say, I’ve already had this argument with you in my head a hundred times over.”

 

She looked at him like she wanted to argue anyway and then nodded. They sat in silence for a moment and then she raised a brow, “Who wins?”

 

She gave him a smile and he knew then that she was wrong. That she may think that girl was gone, but no amount of tiredness or grief or stress could hide brightness like hers entirely.

 

“Me,” he told her, “Every time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise it'll get lighter again soon - with lots of adorableness ahead. But there is definitely going to be grief peppered in. Hope you're still enjoying.


	5. Happenstance

_I tried one of those lavender lattes you drink. HOLY SHIT. They are so good._

 

_Don’t tell Barristan._

 

_WAIT, he’s here too and just ordered one. This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me._

 

She glanced back at her phone and smiled to herself, but it was immediately followed by a lump in her stomach.

 

She had meant to respond to the series of text as soon as she got them yesterday afternoon, but then Ser Pounce had gotten sick on the carpet and Joey had been afraid that he was going to die. Nothing she did would convince her that he wasn’t and he was just a very bad kitty that had eaten all of her hydrangeas so they had taken him to the vet, where he acted like such a good kitty that he charmed all of the animal technicians and other patients’ families alike.

 

She sighed and put her phone into the pocket of her blazer. She had learned in the past couple of weeks that a purse was just _asking_ to be left somewhere, so she had her credit card in the back pocket of her jeans and her car keys in one of the pockets of her blazer, along with a hair tie for Joey and James’ pacifier.

 

“Alright monsters,” she grinned as she wheeled them into the grocery store. They were both sitting in the cart looking at her expectantly. “What do we want for dinner tonight?”

 

“Pizza,” Joey suggested.

 

Myrcella gave her an exaggerated nod, trying to get her to smile. It was hard these days. Her niece was the sweetest little girl she’d ever known, but she was grieving powerfully. It didn’t translate into tantrums as she’d read that it could with some children, just a deep melancholy far too profound for her age.

 

“Pizzzaaa?,” Myrcella said, “Yum yum! James loves pizza, don’t you?”

 

James smacked his lips and she smiled at him, kissing his cheek.

 

“Alright, so pizza it is,” she agreed, stepping away for a minute to grab a container of raspberries.

 

She lifted them up to show Joey who nodded enthusiastically and she placed them in the cart.

 

“Auntie Ella?,” Joey asked her as she continued through the store.

 

“Yes, my love?,” Myrcella asked as she started bagging some apples.

 

“Can I play with the funny face maker?,” she asked.

 

“Of course you can,” Myrcella said, pulling her phone back out and opening the app.

 

She handed her phone to Joey who started swiping and then turned the phone towards James. He let out a delighted giggle and both her and Joey looked in surprise at one another.

 

Joey got closer to her brother and started making fishy faces at the camera as Myrcella grabbed tomatoes and onions and garlic to make pizza sauce.

 

“You know,” a voice _full_ of concern said with a hand to her arm, “You really shouldn’t let them have so much screen time.”

 

“Excuse me?,” she asked, looking at the perfectly coiffed woman in her exercise gear.

 

“Do you want them to grow up to be narcissists?,” the woman asked, as though it was a perfectly reasonable question.

 

“More than anything in this world,” Myrcella said and placed the vegetables in the cart and pushed the kids away.

 

She hadn’t realised how many _opinions_ young, single parents had to deal with on a daily basis. At the park three different women had asked her if she had put sunscreen on Joey. A man had told her that dressing James in a tutu was _cruel._ He hadn’t bothered to listen to her when she tried to explain that James had pointed at his older sister’s tutu and cried until she put one on him too.

 

She tried to believe that they were all well intentioned, but it was difficult. And for their information, Joey was wearing SPF 50 and wore a hat most of the day. It was Barristan’s cowboy hat and it looked adorable on her.

 

As the shopping cart filled, Joey grew bored of the app and handed her phone back to her.

 

“Can I get out and walk?,” her niece asked.

 

“Okay but you either have to hold my hand or the cart, alright?,” Myrcella asked and her niece nodded dutifully.

 

She picked her out of the cart and set her down. She started walking and all of a sudden felt a pair of fingers on her leg.

 

She squealed as her niece tickled her, “That is not my hand or the cart, young lady!”

 

Joey didn’t quite giggle but she grinned and wrapped her arms and legs around her leg. She was a little to heavy for the game they used to play but she was smiling and that’s all that mattered, so Myrcella made a big show of _trudging_ through the grocery store, panting when she reached to grab a box of the crackers that Gendry liked. He would arrive sometime tomorrow morning.

 

In moments like this she thought she might actually pull this whole thing off. She loved them, that was the main thing, she kept telling herself, but even still she felt like she had about two wins for every fifty losses.

 

And true to form, in the next moment James started crying. She picked him out of the cart and start swaying with him a bit.

 

“Okay, okay, sweet pea, I know,” she cooed at him. It did nothing to mitigate the squalling or the tears dropping down his cheeks. “Shh, shh, shh,” she pleaded, hugging him to her and rocking him.

 

He had been like this for days now, one minute he was fine, the next he had a screaming fit that could last hours. When she’d gotten both kids into the paediatrician she had asked about it, but he wasn’t sick.

 

_Is he… sad?_

 

_Not in any way that he understands._

 

She had nodded at that. James wasn’t experiencing the loss of his parents the same way that Joey was. He couldn’t articulate it, but he felt it.

 

She hugged him to her, kissing his soft curls, “Shh, shh, shh, sweet pea. It’s going to be alright.”

 

He just kept crying though. Their shopping was nearly done, they just needed to go to the dairy aisle. She put James back in the cart, because nothing she did right now would make a bit of difference, and reached for her niece.

 

But she wasn’t there.

 

 _No, no, no,_ she thought as a cold dread raced through her body.

 

“Joey?!?! Joey where are you?!!!?”

 

***

 

Robb checked his phone for the thousandth time and sighed. He had fought the urge all day to send another text to Myrcella, but it was difficult.

 

He had seen her only once since the first night she got back. She had texted him out of the blue to see if he felt like a drink, and he had showered and gotten to her house in under fifteen minutes.

 

They had sat outside on her back porch, sitting across the table from each other, the baby monitor in between them. He’d drank a beer as she sipped a glass of wine and they’d just talked a bit. Not about anything serious, just his work and her day, she’d showed him the insanity of Joey’s preschool application in which it asked her to list her four year old niece’s greatest achievements.

 

It had taken everything in his power to press a quick kiss to her cheek as he left and not take her in his arms the way he wanted to. It had been enough though, just to see her.

 

They’d texted back and forth a few times since then. She’d sent him a picture of her nephew standing in his crib in a onesie with his curls askew and a wide smile on his adorable face with the caption _I woke up like this_.

 

He couldn’t tell if she was just putting on a brave face, or if things were actually going okay. He wished he could be more a part of her day to day, but like he said, he understood that he couldn’t be a priority for her right now. He just missed her.

 

He’d kept himself busy though, and had been running errands all day because his sisters, Jon and Kitty were coming to visit over the weekend. He was at the grocery store now, and his cart was unusually full. When it was just him and Grey Wind he normally just needed a basket, unless he was picking up dog food, but with all of them coming in he wanted to make sure he had enough stuff in the house. Plus Sansa had kind of promised she’d make him whatever meal he bought ingredients for and he was craving her meatloaf.

 

He was standing in the dairy aisle trying to determine whether strawberry or blueberry yogurt would be more enticing to a four year old. Just like that, one appeared.

 

“What kind do you like?,” he asked her.

 

She was obscenely cute, and though he was sure there was some rule about talking to unaccompanied children in grocery stores, those rules were for weirdos and creeps.

 

“Razzbury,” she told him definitively.

 

 _Raspberry_. He hadn’t even thought of that. He put the strawberry and blueberry back on the shelf and pulled out a pack of the raspberry and put them in his cart.

 

“Brilliant,” he nodded and grabbed a bunch of lemon yogurts for Sansa as well.

 

The little girl was still looking at him curiously, and glancing around. She didn’t look afraid, but simply like she couldn’t believe she was standing there.

 

Which was fair, considering she was an unaccompanied child and he had been stupidly talking to her about _yogurt_.

 

“Shouldn’t you be with someone, honey?,” he asked, coming to his senses, kneeling down.

 

She didn’t answer him as she had gone over to his cart and looked in it curiously, “Do you have a doggy?”

 

“I do,” he told her, “He’s big and grey.”

 

“I want one,” she confessed, “We have a kitty though and he acts like a doggy. He even licks me!”

 

Thank the gods Kitty was coming in over the weekend. The little girl was making him miss her too much.

 

He chuckled, “Well he must love you a lot. But honey, are your parents somewhere around here?”

 

She shook her head and to his horror her pale blue eyes filled with tears, “I don’t have any.”

 

All at once he took in her golden ringlets and little button nose. She was a perfect miniature of her aunt. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed it immediately.

 

At the exact moment he realised it he heard a panicked voice calling, “Joey, Joey where are you?”

 

“Are you Joey?,” he confirmed and she nodded so he called, “SHE’S OVER HERE MYRCELLA, SHE’S ALRIGHT.”

 

A half moment later, Myrcella, carrying a crying one year old and pushing an overflowing cart herself came running into the aisle.

 

“Joey, by the gods,” she exclaimed, and her voice was wobbling, “You can’t walk away like that.”

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Joey cried.

 

The little girl ran over to her and Myrcella bent down and pulled her in with her one free arm. She cupped the back of her head and pressed a kiss to her temple, breathing her in.

 

“I’m sorry,” Joey cried again.

 

“It’s okay, little one, it’s okay,” Myrcella promised her, “I was just scared that’s all.”

 

Her sweet voice did nothing to temper Joey’s guilt and the little girl started sobbing. He’d seen Kitty react like that when she nearly touched the stove and Jon had yelled at her in a panic. The fear of the adult transferring immediately to the child.

 

With more strength than he would imagine someone of her size to possess Myrcella picked up Joey until she was holding two squalling children.

 

“Can I help?,” he asked pitifully as she tried to start moving the cart as well.

 

She glanced at him for the first time and blanched. Her cheeks coloured immediately and he shook his head.

 

“No I -,” she started but a man in a business suit interrupted her.

 

“You know if you can’t control them you should really leave them at home with their father,” he spat at her.

 

Myrcella flinched as though he’d struck her and walked away, carrying her niece and nephew in her arms and not looking back.

 

A white hot rage filled Robb’s entire body and he walked over to the man and grabbed him by the collar. He shoved him against the shelves and the man who only a moment before had been so smug looked terrified.

 

“Yeah,” Robb nodded, “Must be odd to be against someone your own size. You seem like a parenting genius, how many kids do you have?”

 

“N-none,” the man said. Which was obvious.

 

“But you’ve got a mom, right?,” Robb asked and the man nodded. He shoved him harder against the shelves and then released him, “Remember that the next time you see a woman trying her hardest at something you’ve never even attempted.”

 

“I-I’m sorry.”

 

Robb shook his head and walked away, not wanting to spend another second on this asshole. He walked down the aisle and peered, looking for Myrcella, but he saw no trace of her.

 

He walked back to the dairy aisle to grab his cart and saw her cart still where she left it. He grabbed another pack of raspberry yogurt and pushed his cart forward.

 

***

 

Myrcella had just ordered pizza when she heard her doorbell ring.

 

“That was quick,” Joey said.

 

The pair of them looked at each other as though neither could believed she’d just made a joke, because Myrcella at least, couldn’t. Neither laughed but they beamed at one another, which was enough for now.

 

She pressed a kiss to the back of her niece’s head and said, “Ooh I love that,” regarding the drawing she was making.

 

She went to open the door and saw none other than Robb Stark standing there, a look of concern on his face. She should have been used to it now, but she wasn’t.

 

“Robb!,” she exclaimed, “I’m sorry I left earlier, thank you so much for finding Joey.”

 

He shook his head, “Don’t apologise, that guy was an _ass_.”

 

“Even still. Thank you, for finding her.”

 

“She found me actually,” he grinned sheepishly, scratching his cheek, “And uh… well you ran out of there so quick I wasn’t sure if you’d have time to get back…so I um…well, I hope this isn’t too weird, but I brought these?”

 

With that he picked up five overflowing grocery bags.

 

“You brought me groceries?,” she asked dumbfounded.

 

He shrugged, “Everybody brings flowers…”

 

She giggled in spite of the fact that she kind of wanted to cry and stepped aside, “Come in, can I take anything from you?”

 

“Just grab the door,” he requested.

 

He walked ahead of her towards the kitchen as she closed the door.

 

She heard his booming voice say, “Hiya honey!”

 

“It’s you!,” Joey exclaimed and Myrcella followed him into the kitchen.

 

Joey was grinning ear to ear as Robb set down the groceries.

 

“Robb, this is Joey, I’m not sure if you two formally met,” she said.

 

“We didn’t, though she _did_ advise me on some very important yogurt decisions, didn’t you?,” he asked her.

 

Joey nodded eagerly, practically wiggling out of her seat in excitement. She hadn’t seen her niece like this in ages, not since before the funeral. She had asked about him on the way home.

 

_He knows your name._

 

_Well, we’re kind of friends._

 

_He has a doggy. Did you know that?_

 

She started unpacking the groceries and shook her head, “I can’t believe you did this. Thank you. What did it come to?” He gave her a look like she was crazy so she sighed and asked, “Well do you like pizza? We just ordered and thanks to you I can make a salad as well…”

 

She grabbed one of the bananas out of the bag and walked over to James’ high chair and sliced half of it for him. He picked a piece up and brought it to his mouth, chewing thoughtfully as he raised another to his lips.

 

“Slowwwww,” she said in his ear until he let out a gurgly giggle and looked up at her still chewing.

 

She planted a kiss to her nephew’s nose and looked up to find Robb watching them with a sad smile on his face.

 

“Only if you want to,” she amended, realising that a night in with two children might not be his idea of a good Friday night.

 

He grinned and pulled out the stool next to Joey’s chair that was fixed to the island.

 

“Just so happens I _love_ pizza,” Robb assured her and pointed at Joey’s drawing, “Hey, is that the dog-cat you were telling me about?”

 

 _Dog-cat?_ Myrcella wondered.

 

Apparently this was privileged information because Joey seemed to know _exactly_ what he was talking about and nodded, “Yeah! It’s Ser Pounce, he’s in my room right now because he likes me best.”

 

Robb glanced at her and she shrugged, “It’s true, I’m just the one who feeds him. Joey is his one true love.”

 

Robb chuckled and Joey wordlessly handed him a piece of paper and a few crayons. Myrcella’s heart ached for her thoughtful niece, who was so good at sharing with her little brother, even though he always wanted whatever toy she was using at any given moment.

 

Robb thanked her and started drawing as she continued unpacking the groceries. She was putting some raspberry yogurt in the fridge, which she didn’t remember putting in her cart, when she heard a noise she hadn’t heard in weeks. She turned around to find Joey leaning against Robb’s shoulder, giggling as she looked at his drawing.

 

“What _IS_ that?,” her niece asked him.

 

Robb balked, “It’s a tree.”

 

That caused a shriek of laughter to bubble up from Joey and Robb chuckled along. He had no idea what he was doing, she hadn’t seen Joey this carefree since she’d been here and it was so nice to hear her laugh again like the child she was. James started giggling as well, as always looking towards his big sister.

 

She didn’t want to draw too much attention to any of it for fear of ruining it so she played along, “Let’s see it, then?,” she prompted and Robb proudly held up his drawing to show her. He raised his eyebrows at her and Joey looked at her expectantly and she nodded, “It’s a very good… _scarecrow_.”

 

“Scarecrow!?!,” Robb grinned and got off of his stool. He picked her up over his shoulder and bounced, “Take it back!”

 

She let out a guttural laugh, “Never!”

 

He tickled her side and she let out a shriek of laughter just like her niece. Joey was shouting along encouragements, though whether it was for her or for Robb she couldn’t quite tell.

 

They were in that state of chaos when the doorbell rang.

 

“PIZZA,” Robb and Joey shouted in tandem.

 

“Alright, set me down so I can grab my wallet,” she ordered.

 

“Where is it?,” Robb wondered.

 

“There,” Joey, the traitor, pointed out.

 

“Thank you, honey,” Robb said and walked over, still holding her and picked it up.

 

He then proceeded to walk her out of the kitchen and down the hallway.

 

“You’re an idiot,” she told him.

 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he said and opened the door.

 

“Niiice ass,” she heard someone say from behind her.

 

She propped herself up and turned around, “Excuse me?,” she asked with as much dignity as she could muster.

 

“I uh… sorry, but um… just…,” the teenage delivery boy sputtered.

 

“I feel you, man,” Robb nodded and she buried her face against his back in embarrassment as he paid the boy and closed the door.

 

She scratched his back lightly, “Thank you.”

 

“It’s a really nice ass,” he confirmed.

 

“No, for… for making her laugh. She hasn’t like that, in a while,” she told him.

 

He was silent for a moment and then he leaned forward and set her down on her feet, holding her until she righted herself.

 

“Nor have you, I’d wager,” he suggested, his forget-me-not eyes looking deeply into hers.

 

She shrugged, “That doesn’t matter anymore.”

 

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and said, “Maybe not to you.”

 

***

 

If he had thought that walking away from Myrcella was difficult, walking away from Auntie Ella was impossible.

 

Her niece and nephew clearly worshipped her, and her love for them as their aunt had combined with motherly instincts and turned her into some sort of superbeing.

 

James was adorable and smiley and Joey was so sweet it made his heart ache a little.

 

She was down on the floor with her little brother now, on her hands and knees as James stood up, holding onto the leg of the table.

 

“To me, Jamesy, to meee,” she urged him.

 

Robb heard Myrcella’s, or Ella’s, breath catch as she watched her nephew. James looked like he was about to take a step, but crumbled down onto his knees and hands instead.

 

He crawled over to his big sister and used her to pull himself up. He tugged excitedly on her hair.

 

“Ooop, nope James, remember sweet pea, gentle,” Ella said, standing up and crawling down onto the floor with them. She made a big show of stroking Joey’s hair until James copied her. “That’s it, we love our Joey don’t we?”

 

James smacked a kiss to his sister and then reached for Ella. She pulled him into her arms. Joey stood up and then dramatically swan dived at her aunt as well. Robb let out a surprised guffaw as Ella fell onto her back, a giggle escaping her lips.

 

She looked up at him, she was in a tangle of little limbs, and gave him a sheepish smile. As though she was afraid a night like this could be described as anything less than perfect.

 

“That was an excellent tackle, Joey,” he said and stood up before kneeling to the ground. “Do you think you can take me down?”

 

Joey looked at her aunt and Ella raised her eyebrows at her and she stood up.

 

The little girl grinned at him and then charged forward. She didn’t so much as _tackle_ him as much as she leapt arms open at him. He caught her and fell back dramatically.

 

“By the gods she’s gonna be a linebacker…,” he groaned.

 

Ella was clapping wildly for Joey, then took James’ arms in her hands and made him do a little shimmy to his delight.

 

Joey giggled, but it turned into a yawn and she leaned her head against his chest. His heart felt like it might burst out of it, especially when he saw the way Ella looked at them.

 

“Are you sleepy, honey?,” he asked Joey.

 

“No,” she said firmly, though as she yawned at the end it was kind of hard to believe her.

 

Ella smiled and said, “You’ll see Robb again, I’ll set up a playdate, okay?”

 

Joey propped herself up and asked, “Can I meet your doggy?”

 

He grinned and nodded, “Absolutely.”

 

He wanted to talk to Ella about introducing Joey and Kitty this weekend. He knew she’d think it was too soon, to be meeting Sansa, Arya and Jon but he thought it might be good for Joey, to be with a kid her own age while they waited for her preschool application to go through. And he _didn’t_ think it was too soon.

 

“Alright, my love,” Ella said, standing up and holding out her hand to Joey, “Come along.”

 

He stood up as well and looked down at Ella as James grabbed his shirt.

 

“Do you um…,” he asked her, “Should I head out?”

 

She removed his shirt from James’ clutches gently and smoothed it. She looked back up at him and there was something in her eyes, something he’d seen on the steps after their dinner with Barristan and Ashara.

 

“Only if you want to,” she said softly.

 

She gave him one last smile, and he could swear her eyes trailed down to his lips, before walking away, Joey’s hand in hers.

 

Her niece turned to look back at him and he waved at her. She gave him another smile as well and he found a whole new reason to want to follow them.

 

_These Baratheon girls are going to kill me._

 

_***_

 

After putting the kids down, Myrcella came back into the kitchen to find Robb loading the dishwasher.

 

“Stop that,” she chided.

 

“It’s no trouble,” he said.

 

“But…,” she started, trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to. She looked at his strong back and his russet curls and all sensibility went out the window and she merely said, “I want you to be kissing me instead.”

 

It was comical how quickly he snapped to attention. He turned to her, the smallest of smiles on his face and she walked towards him purposefully. His eyes trailed all over her, and in spite of the fact that it was entirely possible she had pizza sauce somewhere on her body from James, she had never felt more beautiful.

 

She didn’t stop walking until she was just in front of him and she could feel his desire radiating off of him. He placed his hands on her waist and sat her up on the counter, pulling her legs apart slightly so that he could step in between them.

 

“You’re not worried it’ll ruin everything?,” he teased her, his voice like gravel.

 

“ _Robb_ ,” she pleaded.

 

His eyes grew stormy and he took her neck in his hand and pressed his lips to hers.

 

_He lied._

 

This would ruin everything.

 

Or at the very least, it would ruin her for all other kisses for the rest of time, of that she was sure.

 

He broke the kiss and she whined. He chuckled against her skin as he trailed his lips down her neck.

 

“Robb, Robb, Robb,” she sighed, pulling him up by his hair back to her lips.

 

He groaned into her mouth, and his lips were suddenly desperate, though no more than her own. Her legs were now firmly wrapped around him and her arms were wrapped around his back, holding him close.

 

He sucked on her bottom lip and she whimpered, one of her hands moving down so that she could squeeze his butt and pull him even closer. To her surprise he yelped and a surprised giggle left her mouth.

 

“What was that?,” she asked him.

 

He grinned sheepishly, “Just surprised me, that’s all.”

 

She smiled back at him, but couldn’t help but tease him a little, “It surprises you that I’d want to touch your ass?,” she squeezed it again with both hands and murmured against his lips, “It’s a very nice ass after all.”

 

“ _Ella_ ,” he all but whimpered, his hand gripping her thigh, his other disappearing in her hair.

 

She pressed her lips to his and kissed him almost lazily. A warmth spread through her veins as he kissed her leisurely, as though he had all the time in the world, as though he-

 

James started howling from his room and she pulled away from Robb and tried to listen. She had started to be able to tell, whether it was going to pass quickly or whether it would be one of his marathons.

 

She was still trying to figure it out when Joey called, “Auntie Ella I’m thirsty.”

 

She looked at Robb and shook her head, “I’m sorry…”

 

His eyes crinkled at her and he helped her off the counter. She went into one of the drawers and pulled out a sippy cup that Joey still used at nighttime. She filled it with water and walked up the stairs into her niece’s room.

 

“Here, my love,” she said, sitting down on the bed and handing her the cup.

 

Joey sipped dutifully and then handed it back to her so she placed it on the nightstand.

 

“James is sad,” Joey informed her.

 

“I know,” she said, smoothing her niece’s hair, “We’re all sad right now and it’s alright. We get to be sad.”

 

“But I was happy tonight,” she said, and she sounded guilty.

 

She smiled at her and stroked her hair, “That’s a good thing, my sweet. That’s all your Mommy and Daddy would want.”

 

“Were you?,” Joey asked.

 

She nodded, “It feels kind of strange, doesn’t it?,” Joey nodded, “But we’ll try to be happier more, won’t we, together?” Joey nodded again and Myrcella handed her the cup once more. She took another sip and handed it back to her and laid down. “I love you, my _sweet_ , sleep tight.”

 

“I love you too,” Joey told her, “My _sweeeeet.”_

 

She smiled and stood up.

 

_One down._

 

She walked into James’ room and couldn’t help but smile when she saw him standing up in his crib. He looked so adorably annoyed with her, which was fair because she had kept him waiting.

 

“I’m sorry, sweet pea,” she cooed as she crossed over to him.

 

He reached for her and her heart yearned for him, like her atoms were reaching out for his. It was the oddest feeling, one she’d been experiencing with both him and Joey ever since she’d seen them at the wake.

 

She pulled him out of his crib into her arms and started rocking him. He just kept squalling and squalling though.

 

“Shhh, shhh, shhh,” she murmured, cupping his head and smelling his sweet baby smell.

 

She knew it would be gone before too long, he’d be walking soon, Tommy had told her he was nearing it just before and she had seen him thinking about it tonight.

 

He kept crying and crying so she sat in the big rocking chair she’d bought for Margery when she came to spend a summer here with newborn Joey.

 

“Shhh, shhh, shhh, it’s alright,” she promised.

 

She was a liar though. None of this was alright. Even if tonight had felt perfect in spite of everything.

 

It should be Margery here with him, rocking him to sleep.

 

He just kept squalling so she got up again and bounced up and down gently, rocking him this way and that, rubbing his back. She tried to feed him but he wouldn’t take the bottle and he didn’t want his pacifier either.

 

She checked his diaper but it was clean and dry and he just kept crying.

 

It had taken him nearly an hour to stop earlier, and the day before he’d cried for two hours straight. She knew he wasn’t in danger, or hungry, she knew that she could leave him.

 

But he was hurting. And she couldn’t, she just couldn’t.

 

They were all grieving, but he was the only one who didn’t understand. Even Joey had some concept of death, she knew that she had lost her parents and that they weren’t coming back. She understood that they loved her very much and hadn’t left her on purpose.

 

But James had no idea. His parents just weren’t there anymore.

 

So she had to be.

 

She sat back down in the chair and let him cry. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been in there when Robb came in.

 

“I-I’m sorry,” she said, “I didn’t realise you were still here…”

 

“It’s alright,” he promised from the doorway, “I just wanted to see how you were holding up…”

 

“How I’m holding up?,” she all but cried as she stood up, “Not great! I’m _failing_ them.”

 

“Of course you’re not,” he argued, crossing to her, “Sweetheart, babies cry, I’m sure he did this for th-“

 

“Don’t talk about them!,” she demanded and he flinched. That look knocked some sense into her and she shook her head, “I’m sorry, that was so out of line. I’m just… I think maybe it’s best if you go.”

 

“Ella I don’t mind wai-,” he started.

 

“This could take hours, and believe me when I say that when I’m done I’m not going to have the energy to -,” she started.

 

“That’s not why I’m here,” he interrupted and shook his head, “Damn it, Ella, is that really what you think of me?”

 

She’d hurt him, that much was clear. But she had a four year old in the next room afraid to be happy and a one year old in her arms who wouldn’t stop crying and she was so tired and she just… couldn’t be someone worthy of him.

 

“I think you should go,” she repeated, “Please.”

 

He looked at her like he wanted to argue but he shook his head and let out a pained little laugh that tore her heart in two and walked out of the room.

 

She wanted to run after him, tell him she was sorry, tell him she’d do better. She wanted to tell him that they’d make it work, that tonight had been the only night since it happened when she felt like she might be able to do this. She wanted to tell him that him kissing her felt more right than any kiss ever had and that she really did like his ass and that if she only could take a very long nap she’d want him every way you could want a person.

 

But James kept crying, so she didn’t.

 

Instead she sat back down and rocked him until his tears stopped, and then until hers did as well.

 

***

 

He shouldn’t have gotten angry. She was so exhausted, he shouldn’t have argued with her. She was already at her wit’s end and then he pushed her past it.

 

He’d apologise tomorrow, or in a couple of days. He’d call Ashara tomorrow and ask her how long it usually took her to cool down. He’d see if she and Barristan could babysit, not even so he could take her out, but just so she could do something on her own for a moment.

 

She probably wouldn’t take them up on it, but he could try.

 

“Robb?,” a sweet voice asked.

 

That voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he knelt down, “What’s up, honey?”

 

She was wearing a light blue nightgown and he imagined this was exactly how Ella looked at her age, all blond ringlets and wide eyes.

 

“Where’s Auntie Ella?,” she asked. “I heard something…”

 

His stomach churned and he said, “Auntie Ella is just with James right now, and we were talking. I’m sorry we woke you.”

 

She shook her head, rubbing her eyes, “No, it was in my room… I think there’s someone in there. I wanted Auntie Ella to check like Daddy used to.”

 

He wanted to vomit now. This poor little girl had lost her parents and moved to a new place and he was worried about whether or not her new guardian was angry with him.

 

She was such a sweet girl, so like his niece Kitty. She was intelligent like her, too, but a bit less wild.

 

“I think Auntie Ella is busy with James,” he said, and she nodded bravely, “But I could check for you…” A relieved smile fell on her face so he opened his arms to her and she walked into them so that he could pick her up. She wrapped her little arms around his neck and placed her chin on his shoulder, “Alright, honey, let’s see what we’ve got in here.”

 

He turned on the light and opened the closet, making a bit show of checking behind her clothes and under her shoes until she started giggling. He opened her toy chest and then put her down so he could check underneath her bed.

 

“Uh oh,” he sighed.

 

“W-what?,” a tremulous little voice asked.

 

He reached under her bed and picked up a little stuffed animal wolf and showed it to her, “You didn’t say you heard _howling!_ ”

 

She let out a surprised giggle and took the stuffed animal from him and hugged it to her chest. He picked her up and placed her in bed and pulled the covers up.

 

She grabbed his hand in her little one and his heart ached. He sat down on the edge of her bed and let her hold his hand in hers.

 

“Do you think you’ll be alright now?,” he wondered.

 

She nodded and he raised his eyebrows at her and she said, “Daddy used to sit with me after I heard a noise, until I fell asleep.”

 

“He did, did he?,” he asked and she nodded. He stroked her little cheek, “He sounds like a really good Daddy, and you know what that means?”

 

“What?,” she wondered.

 

He thought about what he told his brother Rickon when their father died.

 

“It means he’s up in heaven, watching over you as you fall asleep,” he promised her, “It means you’re never alone.”

 

“That’s what Auntie Ella says,” Joey said, but she didn’t look convinced. She looked at him and had tears in her eyes, her lower lip trembling, “But he would p-put his f-fo-o-ot o-on my b-bed s-s-o I knew he was _theeeere_.”

 

He felt like his body was tearing in two from her pain. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Her little hands gripped his shoulders as her body shook.

 

“Oh honey,” he sighed, “I’m so sorry. I lost my Dad too, I was older than you but I know how hard it is.”

 

“I-i-is your Daddy in heaven?,”she wondered.

 

“Absolutely,” he nodded, “He’s up there, showing your Mommy and Daddy around, making sure they know all the good spots to get pizza and ice cream.”

 

“Mommy loves ice cream,” she smiled.

 

He grinned at her, “She does? Well I’ll bet she’s getting as many scoops as she wants.”

 

“Do you think she’ll have a tummy ache?,” she asked.

 

He wiped her tears as gently as he could and shook his head, “No, there are no tummy aches in heaven. Your Auntie Ella didn’t tell you that?”

 

She shook her head, and then, loyally offered, “Maybe she doesn’t know. I’ll tell her tomorrow.”

 

“That’s a very good idea, honey,” he agreed, already imagining the way Ella would react. He looked at Joey and said, “I could stay if you wanted, until you fall asleep.”

 

“Really?,” she asked, her grin sealing his fate, “Will you put your foot up on the bed?”

 

“ _Both_ of them,” he promised.

 

She retreated out of his arms and laid back down, pulling the covers up to his chin. He stood up and turned out the light and he heard a _meooww_ and felt something rush by him.

 

True to his reputation, an orange tabby cat hopped up onto Joey’s bed and crawled on her legs and up her body until he finally settled down behind her on top of her pillow.

 

He pulled up the upholstered armchair closer to her bed and sat down in it, propping his feet up on the bed.

 

The last thing he remembered before falling asleep was Joey patting his foot.

 

*

 

He woke up to a pair of lips pressed to his forehead.

 

 _“Ser Pounce, not now_ ,” he sighed.

 

Ella giggled in the dark and he opened his eyes. Even in the limited light of Joey’s bedroom he could see that her face looked worried.

 

She stroked his cheek with her soft hand, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

 

He held her wrist in his hand, “It’s alright, I shouldn’t have pushed.”

 

She knelt down on the floor and laid her head in his lap.

 

“I just feel like I’m failing everyone, the kids, and Tommy, and Marg… I just don’t want to fail you too. I couldn’t take it,” she confessed.

 

_These Baratheon girls are really going to kill me._

 

He stroked his hand through her soft hair, he wasn’t sure if it was soothing her but it was soothing him.

 

“You aren’t going to,” he told her, “I know what you’re up against, what you’re dealing with. I’m not expecting anything. I’m not here to make your life _harder_. I just… I just don’t know how to stay away.”

 

She looked up at him and shook her head, “I don’t want you to stay away.”

 

He pulled her up and into his lap, and she rested her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and she made herself comfortable.

 

“By the way, there are no stomach aches in heaven, okay?,” he said, “Act surprised when Joey tells you tomorrow.”

 

He felt her smile against him and she hugged one of his arms to her chest.

 

“Well if that’s the case,” she yawned, “Marg is eating a _ton_ of ice cream.”

 

He smiled into her hair and pressed a kiss to her.

 

“You’re doing a lot better than you think, sweetheart.”


	6. Five Minutes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short little one bc I want to just post some Starkling goodness

 

Robb looked down at his phone and grinned stupidly.

 

“Uh oh, she’s making him _smiley_ ,” Jon teased.

 

“If by _she_ , you mean this _four year old_ then yes, she is,” he argued and showed them the picture Ella had sent him while they were eating dinner.

 

It was a picture of Joey, hugging Ser Pounce, with an adorably excited and surprised grin on her face.

 

Arya took his phone and cooed at it and Sansa’s cheek pressed against hers and her face melted, “By the gods…”

 

They hit something on his phone and Sansa read, _“That moment when she tells you you’re going to see Robb at the park tomorrow.”_

 

“She’s got it bad, huh?,” Arya asked.

 

Robb shrugged, though his heart was bursting, “She’s a really sweet kid.”

 

Jon shook his head as he placed a bowl back in the cupboard, “Kitty’s gonna be jeaaaaaalous.”

 

He shook his head, “I’ll make sure that she isn’t, I promise. I think they are going to get along really well.”

 

Jon and Sansa shared a look as though they didn’t quite believe it, but didn’t say anything.

 

Arya hopped up on the counter and sipped her wine. She wasn’t even pretending to help clean up at this point and he couldn’t help but grin at her.

 

“I think it’s obvious what we are all worried about, here,” she said.

 

He glanced between her and Sansa and Jon, whose identical faces of horror made it very clear that they were _not_ all on the same page - at the very least about raising the issue now.

 

He dropped the towel he was drying with and folded his arms across his chest, “Go on then.”

 

There was a silent communication going on between Jon and Sansa, clearly about what they were going to say and how, which Arya had no patience for.

 

“Well, we all know that you have a Knight-in-Shining-Armor kink,” she said bluntly.

 

“A…a _what_? Please never say the word KINK to me again, you shouldn’t even - WHAT?!,” he sputtered.

 

“Oh no,” Arya monotoned, before taking a sip of her wine, “I’ve broken him.”

 

“Seriously, Arya,” Jon shuddered, “Never again.”

 

Sansa rolled her eyes at all of them and crossed to him. He fought the urge to step away.

 

She grabbed his arm though and looked up at him with her caring blue eyes.

 

“Look, Robby, I’m not saying this girl isn’t special - _both_ of them - I just… ever since Dad died you have this…need to fix things -“

 

“Ella doesn’t need fixing,” he argued.

 

“Okay, okay, that’s _fair_ ,” Jon said, and shook his head, “Man just the fact that she’s getting out of _bed_ in the morning means that she’s far stronger than I could ever hope to be, but even still. You like to take care of everyone.”

 

“And we all love you for that,” Sansa added.

 

“Especially me, because it means you still do my taxes,” Arya put in.

 

“I have some forms for you to sign by the way,” he told her before he forgot. She grinned as if to say _See?_ and he sighed. “I know what you all mean, I do. But… you don’t understand. This isn’t some…damsel in distress thing. _Yes_ I’d like to help her but only because her pain is like… this… physical fucking thing in my body. I’m not in love with the tragedy of it.”

 

“We just want you to be careful,” Sansa told him gently.

 

He let out a pained laugh and said, “It’s too late for that.”

 

“It’s not,” Jon told him, “You even said yourself that she told you you should walk away. If… if you’re in over your head maybe the best option is to take a step back, just for now, while the dust settles.”

 

He shook his head and rubbed his forehead, “No, you guys don’t get it. Yes, I could walk away right now and she’d get it. She’d _applaud_ me for it - she’d be _relieved_. But I wouldn’t survive it. I met her and something in me just… changed. It just did. I can’t explain it, but I can’t deny it either. And then her brother died and her whole life changed. So yes, do I want to help her through it? Of course I do… but that’s not the reason I’m sticking around. It’s not the reason I want her. I want her because I don’t know how _not_ to - you’ll get it, you’ll see, when you meet her. Can you guys just… keep an open mind?”

 

The three of them conferred with their eyes and then all nodded at him. He was going to ask for verbal confirmation but the doorbell rang.

 

It was the babysitter, the waitress Lya from the cafe. As Ella had predicted, she had gotten into university and was babysitting to earn more money to put towards tuition. Ella’s endorsement of her the first day they met was good enough for him, but he’d been back to the cafe a dozen times since then and he’d seen for himself how responsible and sweet she was.

 

Kitty was already asleep but Sansa still wanted to go over instructions with her so Jon urged him and Arya to head to the bar ahead of them. They let the dogs out quickly, the four of them _very_ happy to all be reunited once again, and then walked down the road towards his local.

 

“So what about you, little one?,” he asked Arya, “You’ve had your _year of nothing_ post-grad, what are you thinking next?’

 

Arya groaned and buried her face against his arm, “You sound like Mommmm I don’t know.”

 

He chuckled at her and wrapped his arm around her, “Well you know you could always come work with me while you figure it out.”

 

“See? This is why we say you have a Knight in Shining Armor -,” he gave her a stern look and she grinned, “ _Complex_?”

 

He chuckled and shook his head, “ _Actually_ this would be you saving me. My assistant is leaving to get married and you were the best intern I ever had. Nobody is mean to Walder Frey like you are!”

 

“Telling that disgusting old man that you are not available for lunch until eleventy-seventy is better than sex,” she told him.

 

“Seriously, Arya, what is the matter with you?,” he groaned.

 

She chuckled and hopped on his back as he continued towards the bar.

 

“It _is_ kind of nice being outside in a tank top in March,” she noted.

 

“And isn’t your friend… Hot Cake here or something?,” he asked her.

 

“Hot _Pie_ ,” she corrected, “Yes he’s down here. If _only_ I had a place to stay…,” she said, leaning her cheek on his shoulder.

 

He chuckled at her, “You are such a pest. Of course you can stay with me, for as long as you want. Under ONE condition.”

 

“What’s that, then?”

 

“Don’t tell Mom that you moving here was my idea. She’ll murder me,” he pleaded.

 

She chuckled and promised and hopped off his back as they got to the pub. He couldn’t really believe that it had been that easy. The idea of having her here though made him so happy. He liked the Reach, he really did, but not having any family here was wearing on him.

 

He wrapped his arm around her as they walked into the pub.

 

“And maybe I’ll even become friends with ya girl,” Arya offered. “Do you think I’ll like her?”

 

He thought of the way Ella liked to tease him, and nodded, “Absolutely. She’s amazing, she’s -,” he stopped because she was _here_.

 

Right there. In his local pub. Sitting on a bar stool, giggling like she was having the time of her life, her head on some guy’s shoulder. The guy was looking at her like she was the single most wonderful thing on the planet and if Robb thought he was angry at the douchebag from the grocery store, it was _nothing_ compared to how he was feeling now.

 

He strode right over to them and said, “Ella.”

 

Her head shot off the guy’s shoulder so quick it would have been funny if his heart wasn’t hurting so badly.

 

She had the audacity to give him a smile and say, like it was her favourite syllable in the world, “Robb.”

 

***

 

He was _so_ beautiful.

 

“May I speak to you for a moment,” he growled. _And angry_. “Outside… _alone_?”

 

She nodded but then figured she should check with Gendry so she turned to him and asked, “Are you okay here?”

 

Gendry didn’t even look at her. All of his focus was on the brunette beauty standing at Robb’s side. _That must be Arya_ , she realised.

 

“Oh I’m very good here,” Gendry assured her.

 

She rolled her eyes and hopped off the bar stool. She wobbled very slightly on her wedges and reached for Robb’s arm. He glanced down at her and though his face was still angry, there was concern in it too and he placed his hand on her back.

 

She let him guide her out of the pub and couldn’t help but smile when she felt the soft evening air on her skin. It had been getting warm inside and her cheeks felt flushed.

 

“I’m glad they got in okay,” she started.

 

“Who in Seven Hells _is that?_ ,” he demanded.

 

Her brow furrowed, “Gendry. My brother?”

 

Robb’s face took on a comical expression of horror, “By the gods… I didn’t…”

 

“I _told_ you he was coming in,” she couldn’t help pointing out with a grin, “Remember? I said, _Gendry is coming in to bring some things and look at apartments…_ ”

 

He rubbed his face and nodded, “I do remember. Now. I’m so sorry, sweetheart I just… saw you with him and panicked a little.”

 

She grinned, her insides turning to mush, because he was very sexy when he was jealous and very adorable when he was sorry.

 

“You’ll notice,” she said, stepping closer to him, “That _I_ didn’t freak out when I saw a beautiful brunette at your side…”

 

“That’s my sister Arya,” he told her sheepishly.

 

“I know,” she grinned, “Because _Iiiiii_ actually listen to you when you speak.”

 

“I listen!,” he argued and then saw her face and chuckled, “You’re teasing me, huh?”

 

“Yeah,” she nodded, closing the last of the distance between them and wrapping her arms around his back, “I’m teasing you, huh, because I kind of like making you nervous, Robb Stark.”

 

He ran his knuckle over her cheek and said, “Well you’re kind of good at that, Ella Baratheon.”

 

She looked up into his shining eyes, that were looking at her with so much affection and the humor died in her, “Do you really think I’d do that though? I… none of my hesitance is about _you_.”

 

“No,” he shook his head, “You just make me a little stupid that’s all.”

 

“Even still,” she said, standing up on her tiptoes, “I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea…”

 

She pressed her lips to his and he melted against her immediately. She usually wasn’t one for public displays of affection but he was right there and she was in his arms and the martini in her bloodstream made it seem perfectly alright.

 

“Gin?,” he asked her when they parted, his arms still wrapped around her.

 

She nodded, rubbing her nose against his, “Mmmhm.”

 

He chuckled, “How much did you drink?”

 

“Just one!,” she said, “Those little beasts of mine have really messed with my tolerance… but hey, hey, hey.”

 

He grinned, “What, what, what?”

 

She giggled, “Kiss me, why don’tcha?”

 

“Sweetheart,” he chuckled, “Why don’t we get you some water?”

 

“Okay,” she nodded, because that seemed like a very good idea. He was so smart. “But kiss me first. It’s not the alcohol, I’m really fine. But… so are you.”

 

“You’re very cute when you’re buzzed,” he told her, and leaned his forehead against hers, “You’re very cute all the time.”

 

“Are you buzzed?,” she wondered.

 

“No, just honest,” he shrugged.

 

It was one of her favourite things about him. How himself he was. It was that confidence she’d noticed right from the start. He wasn’t cocky, just comfortable. It made him brave.

 

And the way he was looking at her made her brave, too.

 

There was no hesitation in his kiss, and she felt the alcohol being chased out of her bloodstream. One of his arms was wrapped securely around her back and the other was holding her cheek, lest she think of moving away from him.

 

“You must be Ella,” she heard from her side and she went to move away from him but he caught her.

 

She wiped her mouth as she looked into a pair of very amused, very attractive faces.

 

The voice belonged to a gorgeous girl with auburn hair and a sweet smile. _Sansa_. At her side was a handsome dark haired man with kind eyes. _Jon_.

 

“Hi,” she smiled at them, then her brow furrowed, “Wait, weren’t you a little worried that I _wasn’t_ Ella?”

 

“No,” Jon shook his head, “That’s not Robb.”

 

She peered up at Robb and asked, “You really are one of the good ones, huh?”

 

He blushed adorably and grinned, “Let’s get you that water, huh?”

 

“No way!,” Sansa argued, taking her hand and pulling her forward, “You got a babysitter tonight, didn’t you?” She nodded, “Well so did I. So these boys are just going to have to carry us all the way home if we feel like making them, aren’t they?”

 

She grinned and wrapped her arm around Sansa’s waist and looked at Robb, “Her idea sounds way more fun.”

 

Robb looked between them and said, “I’ve made a horrible mistake.”

 

She and Sansa giggled and Jon chuckled, walking ahead of them and holding the door open for them. They all piled into the bar and then she and Sansa stopped dead in their tracks.

 

Jon and Robb fell against them and she felt Robb’s arm around her waist steadying her as they all stared at a brunette couple passionately making out at the bar.

 

“Seriously, Arya, what the fuck?,” Jon groaned.

 

“Oy! Gendry!,” she called, clapping her hands.

 

Gendry and Arya pulled apart reluctantly and both stared at them as though they had nothing at all to apologise for and in fact were the injured parties because they had been interrupted.

 

“We were only five minutes behind you guys…,” Jon shook his head, looking at Robb and Arya in bewilderment, “And you…I’m… five fucking minutes.”

 

Gendry looked at him and asked, pointing at Sansa, “If _she_ had kissed _you_ after five minutes, would _you_ question it?”

 

She looked curiously at Jon, who looked at Sansa, who looked at him with a small smile on her face.

 

“That’s honestly a really great point,” he nodded, “I’m Jon. Welcome to the family.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the kiddos are back in the next chapter.
> 
> Let me know what you think! xox


	7. Steps Pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is a long one

 

“And then the swings?,” Kitty asked excitedly.

 

“Sure, Kitten,” he agreed with a grin.

 

She wrapped her little arms around his neck from behind as he carried her on his back and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

 

“Is Joey here yet?!?!,” she asked excitedly.

 

This morning had been all about _Team Joey and Kitty,_ because his niece did better when she had some time to get used to things. At first she seemed a little disinterested at the idea of having a new friend, only wanting to make sure that all of the dogs and her Auntie Arya and Uncle Robb were going to the park with her, but somewhere following breakfast she had gotten on board. Now she was _very_ excited at the prospect and couldn’t believe a baby was coming too.

 

“I don’t think so,” he told her, checking his phone. “Now Joey is just a _teensy_ bit shy, alright, darlin’? So can you make sure to be extra saweeeeet?”

 

“YESSSSSS,” she agreed, but sort of belied that answer when she chomped on his face.

 

She giggled when he squealed and he pulled her off his back and tossed her into the air.

 

“Look Auntie Ella! She’s so high!!!,” he heard a sweet voice call.

 

He caught Kitty and held her in front of him as he watched Ella and Gendry approach with Joey and James.

 

Grey Wind went right for Ella and she knelt down and beckoned him forwards, a bright smile on her face. Joey leaned against her, her arms wrapped around her aunt, half hiding, half seemingly hopefully that Grey Wind would go to her as well.

 

Grey Wind licked Ella’s face until she was a giggling mess but when he turned to Joey he immediately got calmer. He sat down on his haunches and Ella hugged his head to her chest, petting him as his tail thwacked on the ground. She looked at Joey encouragingly who reached her little hand out to pet Grey Wind’s head.

 

Grey Wind sniffed her face and then gave her a tentative lick and she let out a delighted giggle and then hugged him to her just like her aunt.

 

“You are so fucked,” Jon murmured to him.

 

Kitty admonished her father, “That’s a bad word Daddy. Mommy - Daddy said a bad word that means I get a treat, don’t I?”

 

Sansa glared at Jon and smiled at her daughter, “Of course you do, baby. Daddy, apologise.”

 

“I’m sorry, my little snitch,” Jon said to his beloved daughter.

 

Grey Wind finally let Ella get up and she offered her hand to Joey who took it excitedly, the pair of them grinning at each other.

 

“You’d never guess,” Sansa said in wonder.

 

“I know,” he nodded.

 

Gendry handed one of the travel trays of coffees he was holding to Ella and pet Grey Wind’s head, pushing it gently so that his niece could get by. He had another tray in his other hand and was wearing one of those baby carriers, with James sitting happily against his chest.

 

“He’s got to be _fucking_ kidding me,” Arya said on his other side as she practically swooned at the sight of him.

 

“Auntie Arya said a bad word, too!,” Kitty exclaimed.

 

Arya turned to her and tickled her, “Sorry, girlfriend, but I’m outside your jurisdiction.”

 

Sansa waved to Ella, a smile plastered on her face, “Just remember you’re not outside of _my_ jurisdiction.”

 

He and Jon looked at each other and shared an _oh shit_ expression but Arya was unfazed.

 

“Hello Starks… and Snows…,” Ella said brightly and he stepped forward, but her eyes were on his niece, “You must be Kitty, I’ve heard so much about you!”

 

“That’s me,” Kitty wiggled, excited by her newfound fame. “Are you Joey?”

 

Joey nodded and Robb knelt down and stroked her cheek, “Hiya honey.”

 

She beamed at him, “Hi, hi Kitty.”

 

“Do you like the swings?,” Kitty asked her. Joey nodded, holding onto Ella’s leg. “They’re my favourite! Uncle Robb pushes me _so_ high!”

 

“Oh reaaaaally?,” Gendry asked her, grinning as he knelt down as well, “I bet I can get Joey higher than your Uncle Robb can get you.”

 

“NO WAY!,” Kitty giggled, falling back against him.

 

“Yes wayyyyy,” Gendry argued.

 

“Joey, is your Uncle always like this?,” Arya asked her.

 

Joey looked at Gendry and he gave her an innocent look, fluttering his eyelashes at her and she covered her mouth and let out an adorable giggle. She looked at Arya and nodded.

 

“Before this ill-fated contest begins,” Sansa said, she looked at Ella, a sheepish smile on her face, “Can I please get my hands on that baby?”

 

“Of course,” Ella smiled at her.

 

Sansa stepped forward, reaching for James. As though he knew exactly who she was, he reached for her too and she pulled him out of his carrier. She settled him on her hip and cooed at him nonsensically, as James took a lock of hair in her hand.

 

“You all go on ahead,” Sansa said, “I think it’s time Ella and I had some time to talk.”

 

He looked at Ella to make sure that she was alright with this. He knew that Sansa was kindness personified but she also had a tendency to _over-mother_ everyone. He didn’t want Ella to be overwhelmed.

 

She merely smiled at him though and stepped forward, taking one of the drinks out of her tray, “I got you your favourite,” she said and then raised her voice slightly when she said, “Iced lavender latte, right?”

 

It took everything in his power not to kiss the impish grin off her face as Gendry, Jon and Arya lost it.

 

***

 

She couldn’t help but glance for the fifteenth time over to the swings.

 

“Don’t worry, they’ve got her,” Sansa said sympathetically.

 

Myrcella blushed and nodded, “I know, I mean, Gendry would walk through fire for her and she adores Robb but I -“

 

“Oh, no,” Sansa shook her head, “I mean the dogs! Lady wouldn’t let anything happen to one of her kids.”

 

Myrcella looked at her and let out a surprised laugh, but when she turned back she noticed the way Lady was standing right in between both swings, watching as Kitty went up and then Joey. Grey Wind was stationed in front, Ghost on Kitty’s left as Nymeria herded all of them, running around and around the swing set.

 

Robb and Gendry were pushing the girls, sipping their drinks as Arya pushed Jon.

 

“But in all seriousness,” Sansa told her, “I think Joey’s got two men that’d walk through fire for her.”

 

They both turned to look as Joey squealed, “JON WE’RE MARRIED!,” and held out her hand for his as they swung in unison.

 

“Soon to be three,” Sansa chuckled. 

“She’s good like that,” Myrcella smiled, though her heart ached.

 

This family was like a warm blanket on a cool evening. They were so close, so comfortable with one another, and they made you feel comfortable too.

 

Last night had been a blast, and for a moment she felt like her old self. The best part though was that when she went to step outside to check in with her babysitter, she found Jon checking in with his, too. He didn’t make her feel foolish he simply stayed outside with her until she was finished and held the door open for when they went back inside.

 

“Must run in the family,” Sansa smiled at her. Myrcella blushed and Sansa took her hand, “I’m not trying to embarrass you. I just haven’t seen Robb like this.”

 

“In a while?,” Myrcella supplied.

 

Sansa looked at her sympathetically and said, “Ever.”

 

Unwillingly she felt tears spring to her eyes, “He’s such a good man.”

 

“He is,” Sansa nodded, “The best, really.”

 

“I just don’t want him to feel locked in,” she confessed and then shook her head, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t talk to you about this -“

 

“He doesn’t feel that way,” Sansa told her, “I’m sure he’s told you that?,” she asked and Myrcella nodded. She squeezed her hand, “Believe him, Ella. Believe _in_ him, the way he believes in you.”

 

“He told you he believes in me?,” she wondered.

 

Sansa nodded, “He told me that you were the bravest person he’s ever known. And kind. And… just… a wee bit stubborn?”

 

Myrcella laughed and nodded, “Almost as stubborn as he is.”

 

Sansa smiled, “Can I be honest with you?” Myrcella nodded. “I was nervous, before meeting you. I mean, Robb just… _fell_. Plummeted for you, really. And that in and of itself is rare enough to make me put my guard up, but then when I heard…”

 

“I know,” Myrcella nodded, “He shouldn’t be taking it all on. It’s too much, it’s too soon it’s -“

 

“No,” Sansa shook her head, “That actually wasn’t my concern. I was afraid that maybe it wasn’t about _you_ so much as… the situation… And I was afraid that with everything, I’m sorry I’m being so honest…”

 

“No,” Myrcella said, “Please go on. Trust me, I’m pretty sure anything you’ve feared, I’ve feared too.”

 

Sansa smiled at her and said, “Well like you, I was a little afraid that he was just too noble to take a step back. You know? That he’d met you and thought you were gorgeous and then felt like… he had to see it through? Like walking away would be the wrong thing… but then I saw you two outside the bar last night.”

 

Myrcella coloured, “I am still so embarrassed about that.”

 

Sansa grinned, “Don’t be. I wasn’t even talking about the kiss so much, though _wow_ , that was some kiss… it was just before. The two of you were just talking, his arms around you, I don’t know what you were saying and it is none of my business but he was looking at you in a way that I’ve only seen one other place - when Jon looks at me.”

 

“I don’t want to hurt him,” Myrcella shook her head.

 

“Then just don’t push him away,” Sansa said, “Trust me, that’s all it takes. Just let him stick around. I can’t even begin to understand how you must be feeling right now, but I imagine you must feel pretty overwhelmed?”

 

“Oh,” Myrcella said and shook her head, “No I mean, I love them.”

 

Sansa smiled at her said, “That’s not in question. Of course you do. Babe, I’m a mom. I get _that_ part of it, at least. And it’s really fucking hard.”

 

Myrcella looked around to make sure there was no one else was in hearing distance and then looked at James. He was settled happily against Sansa, playing with her hair.

 

She whispered, “It’s really fucking hard!”

 

“I know!,” Sansa said in delight, “It’s so hard, and it’s _okay_ to admit that. It doesn’t mean you’re failing. If you thought it was easy _that_ would mean you’re failing, because you wouldn’t be trying hard enough.”

 

“Margery made it look so easy,” Myrcella admitted. “That’s my… my sister-in-law. She made everything look so easy.”

 

“She started with one baby,” Sansa pointed out, “She had a husband - and… I’ll imagine full time help?” Myrcella nodded and Sansa smiled, “It’s easy to make it look easy on social media, or during a quick facetime call. Nobody is posting at four AM when they are covered in vomit and they haven’t showered in three days and they are contemplating _murdering_ the garbage man who decided that now was a perfectly good time to start his rounds. I mean…not that that ever happened to _me_ or anything…”

 

Myrcella laughed and James giggled along with her.

 

Sansa smiled down at him, “And just because you love them and they love you doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to push you within an inch of your life.”

 

Myrcella looked at her and then at James and then covered her nephew’s ears, “He cries… for _hours_.”

 

“And what do you do?,” Sansa asked. Myrcella looked at her guiltily and Sansa smiled, “I know. It’s the hardest thing in the world, letting them cry. The only thing harder than staying up with them. But…oh gosh I am totally sanctomomming you, aren’t I?”

 

“No, no,” Myrcella shook her head, then teased, “This is really helpful - just don’t ask me if I put sunblock on Joey.”

 

Sansa’s face fell and Myrcella was afraid that she hadn’t understood she was joking but she called to Jon, “KITTY NEEDS SUNBLOCK!”

 

Jon called back, “I PUT IT ON HER BEFORE WE LEFT.”

 

“BECAUSE I TOLD HIM TO,” Arya called.

 

“I LOVE YOU BOTH!,” Sansa shouted and then turned back to her sheepishly. Myrcella smiled at her so Sansa said, “What was I saying? Oh! Yes… the thing is that in order to take care of them, we have to take care of ourselves. I know that everything you do for yourself now must seem selfish, but just remember that you are now raising _two children_ who while you love, you had _never_ expected to be caring for and you’re also grieving for your brother… you HAVE to understand how amazing that makes you. You just have to.”

 

“I’m just…,” Myrcella said and stopped herself, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

 

“Say it,” Sansa urged her, “It’s alright…”

 

“I’m just _afraid_ ,” Myrcella said, “That I’m going to do it wrong, that I’m not going to raise them the way I should - the way Tommy and Marg would have wanted.”

 

“Baabe,” Sansa cooed at her, wiping her tears, “Being afraid you’re going to raise a child wrong is how you know that you are a parent. It just comes with the territory, it never goes away. But I see the way Joey looks at you - you are doing so much better than you think you are. And as for not raising them the way that your brother and sister-in-law would want you to… I didn’t know them, so I won’t speak for them. All I can say is, has Robb told you that he is who we’ve appointed as guardian if something were to happen to Jon and I?”

 

“N-no,” she shook her head and looked over at Robb.

 

He was teaching Joey and Kitty how to play hopscotch, the pair of girls holding hands and giggling at him while he hopped. Kitty hopped forward first and her sandal caught on the pavement and she fell forward.

 

“Oh my!,” Myrcella exclaimed.

 

Robb rushed forward, shouting, “I’ve got her!”

 

He sat down on the pavement and pulled her into his lap, brushing her leg gently. She couldn’t hear what he was saying but Kitty was nodding and he pressed a kiss to her knee. He cuddled her a little bit more and then asked her something and she nodded again so he stood her up.

 

He asked Joey something and she nodded and Kitty went back to the start and tried again. Her smile when she made it to the right square was almost too big to fit on her adorable little face.

 

She turned back to Sansa who was looking at them fondly, and Sansa said, “If something ever did happen to me and Jon, the last thing I’d want Robb worrying about was what we wanted. We chose him for a reason, and I hope that he’d find faith in that.”

 

“Watch me, Auntie Ella!,” Joey called to her.

 

“I’m watching, my love!,” she called back.

 

Robb turned to her and grinned at her and then turned back as Joey started hopping. Her pebble had ended up on the same square as Kitty’s so she hopped to her and landed right next to each other. Kitty wrapped her arms around Joey and though Joey looked mildly alarmed for a minute she wrapped her arms around her new friend as well.

 

“Afraid she gets that from me,” Sansa sighed, “We’re not great at hiding our affection…”

 

Robb turned to look at her and pointed at the girls. She nodded and grinned at him and he pressed his hand to his heart and shook his head.

 

She chuckled, “Must run in the family.”

 

***

 

“Robb!,” Ella whimpered.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her neck, “I’ve been wanting to do this all day, _mmm_ you smell like cake batter.’

 

She giggled and tugged him up by his hair gently and kissed him.

 

“Everyone is going to know,” she chastised, though her hands were up his t shirt running over his abs, her brow furrowed and she lifted his shirt, “How many of these things do you have? One, two, three -“

 

“Ella,” he chuckled, pulling his shirt down, “ _Careful_ or I’ll think you just want me for my body…”

 

“Awww poor baby,” she giggled, then did a remarkably accurate impression of his voice, “I’m Robb Stark and I’m just soooo pretty and my girlfriend just can’t stop looking at me.”

 

“Did you just -“

 

“No.”

 

“Yes you fucking did!,” he practically shouted at her.

 

Her cheeks coloured and he grabbed her face and kissed her.

 

“I’m your boyfriend,” he grinned.

 

“You are a child,” she corrected and he looked at her firmly. She stared back at him and then a small smile appeared on her gorgeous face, “Well, what do you say? _Can_ I be your girlfriend?”

 

“Of course you can be,” he told her and kissed her again. She kissed him back sweetly and he leaned his forehead against hers, “What um… brought this on though?”

 

She looked at him with a bit of concern and asked, “If I told you Sansa, would you hate me?”

 

He chuckled and shook his head, “No, and I wouldn’t be surprised either… What did she say?”

 

“She said…,” Ella grinned her hands wandering over his shoulders, “That these were good for more than just _eye candy_.” He fixed her with a look and she giggled and kissed him. Her eyes were serious and misty when she pulled away and she said, “She said that you had big strong soldiers, and that if there was anyone I could feel safe depending on, it was you. And I knew that but I just…”

 

“Just what?,” he wondered.

 

“This is so new,” she said and rolled her eyes, “And I want to be… fun and sexy for you… but I’m just -“

 

“Insanely sexy and ridiculously fun?,” he interrupted. She didn’t look convinced so he took her face in his hands again, “Are you forgetting the part where I dragged you in here just now?,” he asked, gesturing to Barristan and Ashara’s powder room. “I thought I was going to lose my mind when you showed up today.”

 

“I’m wearing jeans and a t shirt,” she argued.

 

“So am I,” he pointed out.

 

“Yeah but you’re so pretty and your girlfriend just can’t stop looking at you,” she teased.

 

“You’re an idiot,” he chuckled.

 

She scowled at him, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

 

He chuckled and helped her off of the sink. She turned around and checked her reflection in the mirror. She splashed water on her face and straightened her t shirt and he couldn’t help but grab her from behind.

 

“I’m a very lucky man, Ella Baratheon,” he told her.

 

She looked up at him like she was going to say something teasing but she leaned her head back against his chest, “Believe me, baby. I’m the lucky one.”

 

They stood like that for a moment and then he kissed her hair and they walked out of the bathroom. They walked into the kitchen to find it in a state of commotion. When he mentioned to Barristan that his siblings were coming in, he’d invited them all to lunch, and Ashara had invited Ella, Gendry and the kids.

 

Ashara had taken one look at Jon and said _You look like a lover I had once in Dorne_ and turned to Sansa and said, _So do you, actually_. They had looked bewildered at first but then James had reached for Ashara and Joey had tugged Kitty over to meet Barristan and everyone was fast friends after that.

 

“Where were you guys?,” Joey asked them as they came into the kitchen.

 

“The um…,” Ella said and looked at him, her eyes bulging as though she could not think of a single room to name, “Bathroom?”

 

He looked at her in horror and she gave him an _oh shit_ expression that made him chuckle.

 

“Were you guys having a potty party?,” Kitty asked and just like that, all of the adults in the room turned to look at them as well.

 

“Mmhm,” he nodded, “That’s what we were doing.”

 

All of the women laughed at them, though he noticed that Barristan and Gendry did not. The kitchen became a hub of activity again and Arya grabbed a big salad bowl to bring outside and Sansa was holding up two bottles of wine for Ashara to choose from, letting out her infectious laugh when Barristan shook his head at them and brought both bottles outside.

 

“So are there any little girls here that would let me sit next to them at lunch?!,” Ella asked brightly.

 

“ME!!!,” Kitty and Joey cried in unison and Ella walked forward and offered them both her hands.

 

She turned to look at him and winked and he had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Gendry walked over to him and stood next to him in silence.

 

“You know I’ll crazy murder you if you hurt her, right?,” he finally asked.

 

“Yep,” Robb nodded, because it was obvious how much Gendry cared for Ella. He looked at him though and asked, “You know it’s a little hard to be intimidating while you’re wearing a baby bjorn, right?”

 

Gendry looked down at his nephew and tickled his foot and looked back up and his jaw clenched, “Yeah…Did I pull it off?”

 

Robb chuckled and nodded, “Yeah, you did great,” he reached for James and James reached back so he took him out of the carrier, and walked to go join Ella and the girls outside. He turned back though and said, “And Gendry… if you hurt Arya?”

 

“I know, I know, you’ll crazy murder me,” Gendry nodded.

 

Robb shrugged, “If I get the chance, but it’s Sansa you really have to worry about… she’ll make it slow.”

 

Gendry blanched at that and Robb couldn’t help grinning at him. James grabbed his lip and he pretended to eat his hand which caused his irresistible giggle.

 

He walked out into the back garden which was no less awe inspiring than the first time he’d been there. More so now, given the bevy of beauties seated there. Plus Jon.

 

“Uncle Robb, come sit with me!,” Kitty urged.

 

She was sitting next to Ella who had Joey curled up in her lap.

 

He walked by Sansa and leaned down and said in her ear, “I owe you one.”

 

She grinned and said, “I owe you more than one.”

 

He sat down next to Kitty and let James stand on his lap.

 

Kitty was infatuated with him and cooed, “Hi Jamesy, hi babyyyy.”

 

James smiled at her and pet her hair.

 

“That’s right buddy, that’s so nice,” he nodded.

 

He knew that Ella was trying to teach him to be gentler with his sister’s hair. James turned to him and pet his hair too which made Kitty giggle. James grabbed his cheeks and he held his little body steady.

 

“Alright,” Ashara asked, “Who needs what?”

 

“I need _you_ ,” Barristan said, “To sit down.”

 

“I will in a minute,” Ashara nodded, “Joey, baby, do you have something to drink?’

 

“I have water but I want juice,” Joey said, “Mommy can I have some?”

 

All at once everything stopped, and Robb was pretty sure that if the roses could have shrivelled up in that moment they would have.

 

Robb looked at Ella who had gone completely white but was nodding, a forced smile on her face, “Of course, my love, I’ll go get you some. Gendry?”

 

Gendry stepped forward and grabbed his niece out of her arms and brought her to sit with him and Arya and Ella got up, shaking like a leaf and walked up the back steps.

 

Everyone was silent when she left, and thankfully Joey hadn’t realised what she said. He met Ashara’s eyes and they were filled with tears, her hand on Barristan’s shoulder, his hand over hers.

 

“I think I’m going to…,” he started.

 

“I’ll take him,” Jon hopped up and took James from him.

 

Robb thanked him and headed up the stairs and walked into the house. He found Ella in the kitchen staring at the fridge.

 

“Sweetheart…,” he started helplessly.

 

“I don’t know…,” she shook her head, “I… I can’t be her mother because I don’t know what kind of juice she wants. She didn’t tell me and she likes apple and cranberry and sometimes she likes orange but… but she didn’t tell me and Margery would have just _known_ what to get her and I… I don’t know and I…”

 

“Breathe,” he said, walking over to her and rubbing her back, “Just breathe, okay sweetheart? We’ll figure out what kind of juice she wants, I just need you to breathe.”

 

She turned to him and nodded, and took big, greedy gulps of air. He brought her over to the window seat and sat her down. He went to get up and she grabbed him, “I’m just going to get you some water. You’re alright, I promise.”

 

She nodded and he filled a glass with water and brought it over to her, raising it to her lips. She took a sip and he felt her hand around his wrist and he brushed the hair out of her face.

 

“That’s good, sweetheart, so good,” he nodded, and she took another sip.

 

“I’m sorry I just…”

 

“Panicked?,” he suggested and she nodded.

 

“Did Joey notice?,” she asked and his heart tore in two.

 

He had panic attacks, he knew what they were like, he knew the dizziness she must be feeling, the nausea, and of course her first thought was for Joey.

 

“No,” he promised her, “As far as Joey knows, her beloved aunt is just getting her some juice.”

 

She nodded and he kissed her forehead. He held her by the back of her head and kept her there, willing her racing heart to steady.

 

“Is this what it’s going to be like? One step forward and two steps back?,” she wondered.

 

“Maybe,” he told her softly, “For a little while. Ella you haven’t had the proper time to grieve. None of this is supposed to be easy, but what happened out there… you may not realise this but that was a testament to how good you’re doing. You are her person, now. Has she always associated that role with her parents? Yes. So it’s perfectly understandable that that name would have slipped out. But it isn’t you taking Margery’s place, it’s just her understanding that no matter what happens, _you_ are the person she looks to. It means she trusts you, sweetheart, more than anyone.”

 

She looked up at him and gave him a teary laugh, “You’re such a good boyfriend.”

 

He kissed her gently and she kissed him back deeply, her hand on his cheek. He knew she felt like she was taking one step forward and two steps back, but it was only because she wasn’t seeing what he saw.

 

Only two days earlier she had tried to push him away when he wanted to talk her through it. James hadn’t cried once today and had taken a nap in her arms as she sat with her back against a tree like a young madonna, Grey Wind pressed against her side. Joey had taken to Kitty almost immediately, and was delighted that Gendry was there, but it was always Ella she wanted to show something new to, or asked permission from.

 

“Is it obvious?,” she asked.

 

He wiped a tear from her cheek and shook his head, “Nope, but there’s no shame in it.”

 

She looked at him in a way that he’d never been looked at before. It made something in his stomach twist and warm molasses rush through his veins. He wanted to catch her and hold onto it, but she pressed a kiss to his cheek and stood up, unaware of the stroke he was having.

 

She went back to the fridge and poured a small cup of apple juice and put all the juice bottles back. She held out her hand to him and he stood up and took it in his, raising it to his lips and leading her outside.

 

Everything had returned to normal in the garden, and Jon was still holding James as Ashara handed the baby a piece of cheese to munch on. Joey was sitting in Gendry’s lap, eating salad off of his plate.

 

“Here, my love, I got you some apple juice, but I can get you something else,” Ella said, setting it down on the table.

 

“That’s what I wanted!,” Joey grinned, “Thanks Auntie Ella.”

 

He rubbed Ella’s back and she squeezed his hand, before she checked on James and finally settled into her seat.

 

“Uncle Robbbbbbb,” Kitty called.

 

He took his seat next to her and accepted the cucumbers from her plate that she didn’t like. He stretched his arm across the back of her chair and rested his hand on the back of Ella’s. She gave him a small smile and then turned to talk to Barristan who was seated on her other side.

 

He said something that made her laugh, hiding her face behind her napkin, and when she leaned forward Barristan caught his eye. He raised his eyebrow and Robb nodded.

 

Barristan patted his hand and then leaned over Ella to plop some fruit onto Kitty’s plate. Ella turned to her and the pair giggled as she stole a blueberry off her plate.

 

And during dessert when Ella lifted Kitty up and settled in the seat next to his and rested her head on his shoulder, it felt like two steps forward.


	8. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is utter fluff

 

“ _Oh fuck, Ella_ ,” he all but moaned.

 

They were in bed, naked, like he had envisioned so many times. Her soft golden hair was splayed out on him as she kissed his chest and ribs and abs.

 

She looked up at him and gave him a sultry grin and pressed another kiss to his chest.

 

“I promise that I’m not after you just for your body,” she said sweetly, “But I really love this body of yours,” she said and kissed his chest again before crawling up him and straddling him. She took his face in her hands, her golden hair tumbling around them like a waterfall, “Is that alright?”

 

She was an absolute goddess. Every inch of her was perfection, and her silky thighs were on either side of him, her breasts against his chest, her lips inches from his own.

 

“Yeah sweetheart,” he grinned, rolling them over and taking her thigh in his hand and running it up her to cup a butt cheek, kissing her collar bone, “That is more than alright.”

 

He felt her finger under his chin and he looked up at her, and found her eyes misty. He cupped her face and looked down at her in concern but she merely smiled at him.

 

“I’m so happy you’re here with me,” she all but whispered.

 

He took her lips in his and tried to convey how incandescently happy he was to be here with her through his kiss. It seemed to work because soon they were all shared limbs and half caught breaths.

 

And then they heard a sweet voice call, “Auntie Ella I’m thirsty!”

 

“I’ve really just got to start _leaving_ a cup of water in there,” Ella sighed and he chuckled. She smiled sheepishly at him, “I’ll be right back?”

 

He kissed her once more, “I’ll be here.” She sprung out of bed and walked quickly to the door. “El?” She turned around and for a moment he was awestruck by her but he managed to stutter, “Y-you’re naked…”

 

She looked down at herself and laughed and then waggled her finger at him, “I always said you were smart,” and walked into her closet and grabbed her robe.

 

She pulled it tightly around her and left the room, closing the door. He pulled on his boxers and tiptoed over to the door of her bedroom and opened the door just the teeniest bit.

 

He saw Ella pad by and then heard her coo, _“Here my love, here’s some water.”_

 

 _“Thank you,”_ Joey cooed back. “ _I heard laughing.”_

 

 _“Sorry, Robb is here, we were watching a movie,”_ Ella lied smoothly.

 

It had only been a week since they’d been caught coming out of the bathroom together, but she’d gotten better at it already. She really was a quick study.

 

“ _Oh,_ ” Joey said.

 

“ _Was it too loud? We’ll turn it down_ ,” Ella said and Robb blushed.

 

 _“No it’s just… can I watch one with you tomorrow?,_ ” Joey asked.

 

 _“Of course you can, we can cuddle up tomorrow in my big bed and watch a movie, alright?_ ,” Ella asked.

 

 _“Can Robb come too?,”_ Joey asked, “ _I like when he’s here._ ”

 

His heart soared with pride and affection. He adored Joey, but she was easy to adore. Sweet, and good-natured, and fair, and so terribly sad. She depended on Ella wholly, but he liked being another person she trusted and enjoyed spending time with.

 

“ _I’ll see if he’s free_ ,” Ella told her, as though if he _had_ anything in his calendar he wouldn’t clear it for a request like that. Then added somewhat conspiratorially, “ _I like when he’s here too._ ”

 

He closed the door, suddenly feeling like he was intruding. He padded back to the bed and removed his boxers, getting under the covers.

 

Her door opened a moment later and she closed it quietly. There was light peaking in her window so he could see her as she unwrapped her robe and let it fall to the floor.

 

“Didja miss me?,” she teased.

 

He took in her naked form and sat up.

 

“Get over here. Now,” he practically growled.

 

She grinned and hurried over, hopping on the bed and crawling over to him until she was straddling his lap. He kissed her hungrily and she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

 

She broke the kiss and let her lips trail over his cheek and down his neck and then she took his ear lobe in between her teeth. He gripped her harshly and he felt her excited sigh in his ear.

 

“Hey baby?,” she murmured in his ear.

 

His eyes were rolling into the back of his head but he managed to get out, “Mmm?”

 

“What are you doing tomorrow night?,” she asked and he grinned.

 

“What did you have in mind?,” he asked casually.

 

“Well… Joey would like to have a movie night… with both of us?,” she asked meekly.

 

“Well,” he said, “Then Joey will have a movie night… with both of us.”

 

“You don’t mind?,” she wondered, “It’s Saturday night, and it’ll be another night in…”

 

He grinned at her, “I’m not complaining.”

 

“Yeah well, you wouldn’t complain if your hair was on fire,” she said stubbornly.

 

“Well complaining wouldn’t be very helpful in that situation,” he pointed out, equally stubborn.

 

She giggled and pushed him onto his back, “You are an idiot, Robb Stark.”

 

He let his hands trail up her back, then one wandered down to her butt and the other tangled in her hair.

 

“Considering the position I’m currently in, I’m okay with it,” he teased.

 

She shook her head at him but kissed him instead of arguing. A win in every sense of the word.

 

He was desperate for her, and thankfully she seemed to feel the same way.

 

“Ella,” he caught his breath, rolling them over and hovering above her.

 

She nodded at him and hitched one of her legs over his. He cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned down to kiss her and -

 

James started howling from his room.

 

“His timing is legitimately impressive,” she sighed and he let out a pained chuckle. “Give it a minute he may - oop, nope, this is… I’m so sorry do you -“

 

“AUNTIE ELLA I SAW A MONSTER!”

 

Now that blood was once again moving in his head he let out an actual chuckle and pulled her up.

 

“Alright, Baratheon, this is how it’s going to go. You go get James back down, I’ll check Joey’s room. We meet back here in ten minutes. Naked. Deal?”

 

She grinned and nodded, holding her hand out. He shook it once firmly and then hurried to get dressed.

 

She ran to the door and pulled on her robe, “Start the clock, Stark.”

 

He watched her disappear and he gave himself another minute to recover. He walked out of her bedroom and down the hall to Joey’s room.

 

“Did I hear there’s a _monster_ in here?,” he asked.

 

“U-u-under my bed,” she whimpered.

 

“Let’s see about that,” he said and walked over to her bed and knelt down. “You were right.”

 

“I AM!?,” she asked and got on her knees and then bent over the bed to look underneath, “Ser Pounce!!”

 

He grinned and tried to grab the cat but it hissed at him.

 

“Bad kitty!,” Joey admonished.

 

“Come on,” Robb grunted, trying to get more of himself under the bed to get the damn cat. It was a pesky little thing, and though it didn’t scratch him, it did make itself smaller. “Come on you stubborn little fluffball!”

 

Joey let out a shriek of laughter and he chuckled along with her. She got out of bed though and leaned down.

 

“Careful, honey, watch you’re head,” he warned.

 

“Here kitty, kitty,” she called sweetly.

 

As though it was the first time it had been suggested, Ser Pounce walked out immediately, rubbing his cheek against hers and purring loudly and making direct eye contact with him.

 

_Stubborn fucking fluffball._

 

Joey gathered him in her arms and he helped her back into bed. Ser Pounce made a big show of walking around and around in circles until he settled against her stomach.

 

She stroked his fur thoughtfully and whispered, “He’s afraid of Grey Wind.”

 

“He is?,” he whispered back, petting Ser Pounce’s head, “Did you tell him Grey Wind is sleeping with James?”

 

Joey looked at him in shock and then shook her head and cooed, “It’s okay kitty, the doggy is with James. Such a _good_ kitty…”

 

As though he understood her, Ser Pounce rolled onto his back and spread out all of his limbs. She kissed his belly and then wrapped her arms around him, tugging him to her like a stuffed animal. If the cat minded, he wasn’t saying so, and it made Robb think of how Ghost and Lady let Kitty dress them up.

 

“Do you think you two will be alright now?,” he asked, sitting on the edge of her bed.

 

“Did Auntie Ella ask you about tomorrow?,” she asked.

 

“She did,” he nodded, “And you’re going to need to get some rest so you’ll be able to stay up and watch a movie with me.”

 

“What should we watch?,” she asked curiously, “Ooh have you seen Moana?”

 

“Saw it, loved it, can’t wait to watch it again,” he nodded, “But now you really have to -“

 

“Oooh or maybe Tangled… there’s this _horse_ and he -“

 

“Joey,” he said as firmly as able. In all honesty, it really came out as a coo. He couldn’t help it.

 

“Can you stay a little?,” she asked, “Just a little while?”

 

He hesitated for only a moment, he’d been in here a few minutes, but he hadn’t heard Ella close James’ door. And besides, Joey was looking at him so hopefully but there was a fear there too.

 

“Of course I will, honey,” he nodded, stroking her cheek, “Have you been having bad dreams?”

 

“I don’t know,” she told him, “But I wake up scared sometimes. I don’t know why.”

 

He brushed the hair out of her face and sighed, “That must make it even scarier, huh?”

 

She nodded and asked, “Did you have bad dreams after your Daddy died?”

 

“Sometimes,” he admitted. “But bad dreams can’t hurt us. They can scare us but they can’t hurt us.”

 

“I have good dreams when you’re here though,” she said matter-of-factly.

 

He choked down a sob and kissed her forehead.

 

“Then you better get to sleep, honey, and start dreaming all those good things. I’ll be right here,” he promised, “Until you fall asleep.”

 

She nodded and he pulled the covers up to her chin and grabbed the chair and pulled it closer to the bed. He propped his foot up on it and he felt her petting it, the way she was petting Ser Pounce.

 

***

 

Ella walked sheepishly back into her bedroom. She’d been gone forty-five minutes at least, and while she knew Robb wouldn’t be angry with her, she still felt awful.

 

She walked into her room, ready - and eager - to make it up to him, but found it empty. She turned on her light to double check, and then stupidly looked in her closet and bathroom as though he might be hiding.

 

She then wandered down the hall, because she knew exactly where he’d be.

 

Even still, her heart threatened to burst out of her chest when she saw him.

 

He was sitting in the overstuffed armchair asleep, his foot up on Joey’s bed. She was hugging it to her like a stuffed animal, and Ser Pounce was splayed out on top of her.

 

She padded over and settled into his lap. She nudged him with her nose and he woke up slowly.

 

“We have to stop meeting like this,” she chided, though there was no bite in it.

 

“I’m sor-,” he started but she covered his mouth with her hand.

 

“Do not even think about apologising to me,” she warned.

 

He kissed her palm and she smiled, standing up and holding her hand out for him. He extricated his foot carefully from Joey’s grasp and stood up as well.

 

They wandered down the hall to her bedroom and closed the door and turned off the light.

 

They came together like they’d been doing it there whole lives and she stood on her tiptoes so he could kiss her but he yawned into her mouth instead. She started to giggle but it turned into a yawn as well.

 

“I’m sorry I’m so…,” he started but trailed off.

 

“Tired?,” she supplied. He nodded. “Thank the _gods_.”

 

He grinned sleepily at her, “Really?”

 

“Yes, James nearly killed me. I really want you but… can we just…”

 

“Sleep?,” he finished for her and she nodded.

 

He took her hand and lead her over to the bed. She was pretty sure her eyes were already closed, but somehow she found herself lying in bed. She wasn’t entirely sure how it happened.

 

He pulled her to his side and she laid her head on his chest.

 

“Tomorrow,” he yawned, rubbing her arm, “I’ll do some really dirty things to you.”

 

“Soundsgoodbaby,” she muttered, burrowing into his warmth.

 

“Hey El?,” he asked after a moment.

 

“Yeah?,” she wondered.

 

“I’m really happy I’m here with you,” he said.

 

She tilted her head up and kissed him, trying to convey how incandescently happy she was to have him here with her.

 

She leaned her head back against him, and her leg hooked over his, he was rubbing patterns on her back and she was listening to the reassuring _beat, beat, beat_ of his heart.

 

That night, for the first time in weeks, she dreamed only good dreams.


	9. Stinky Boys

“You know it’s _really_ pathetic when a four year old is carrying more than you,” Gendry teased Ella.

 

Ella looked adorably shamefaced as he and Gendry brought in his couch.

 

“I’m on team _unpack_ , not _unload_ ,” she said haughtily though.

 

Gendry looked at him and asked, “Did she consult you on the teams?”

 

Robb shook his head and said, “That’s way above my pay grade.”

 

She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to hide her smile, and said pointedly, “You know it’s _really_ pathetic when a four year old is more mature than you.”

 

Proving her point Gendry said, “I know, but we love you anyway.”

 

He and Ella averted each other’s gaze.

 

They hadn’t said that to one another yet. They’d only been dating officially for about a month, and though he was pretty sure he’d been in love with her since the moment she quite literally fell into his lap, it was too soon to tell her.

 

Not that he was holding back his emotions or anything. He was pretty sure that already today he’d told her that he adored her, liked her, loved spending time with her, wanted her, and professed his undying devotion to her pancakes. And it was only 9 am.

 

So really, he wasn’t a great example of self control or discretion, but even still, he knew better than to rush those words.

 

It was the last time he’d ever say them for the first time, maybe the first time he ever truly meant them. He wanted to get it right.

 

“We’re going to go grab another load, you all good here?,” he asked.

 

“Good!,” Ella called.

 

“Good!,” Joey echoed.

 

“lsdkfja;sdfja,” James confirmed.

 

He and Gendry chuckled as they went out to the elevator.

 

“Where is Arya by the way?,” he asked Gendry.

 

His little sister had moved down here the week prior and had made herself at home in his apartment. She was helping out at his office but also looking for other work, doing a bit of freelancing graphic design as she interviewed places.

 

Gendry had come in last weekend to bring some things, and they’d all had dinner at Ella’s house. It had been strange, considering Gendry and Arya had only seen her once since the first weekend they were together - and Joey had absolutely caught them making out in Ella’s pantry - but it had felt oddly right as well.

 

“Kickboxing class,” Gendry said, “She’ll be here afterwards.”

 

“Once all the hard work is done?,” Robb guessed.

 

“Sounds about right,” Gendry nodded. “I didn’t get to ask, did Ella tell you how James’ check-up was? She seemed a little tense before end.”

 

Robb sighed as they got outside. It was a beautiful April day, but he wouldn’t have minded if it were a bit cooler for moving. Thankfully Gendry’s apartment was air conditioned - Ella and Joey had already commandeered two of his sweatshirts.

 

“She’s freaking out about this walking thing,” Robb told him.

 

“That’s all her mother,” Gendry sighed, “You know that she got Joffrey a tutor at the age of four because he hadn’t read yet?”

 

“Well that explains why Ella and Joey were doing _mind teasers_ at the breakfast table this morning,” Robb groaned.

 

Gendry chuckled and shook his head, “No, that was all Marg. And Joey actually. She loves ‘em.”

 

Robb nodded, that much was clear. Joey was incredibly curious, always asking why something worked the way it did or what whales would sound like above water.

 

He just worried a bit about her, she hadn’t made any friends yet in preschool, which he supposed was normal given how late she had started in the year, but Kitty constantly had playdates.

 

Joey was really comfortable with him and Ella and Barristan and Ashara, but she didn’t have any kids her own age to spend time with and he didn’t want her to be too serious. She was still mourning her parents, which was understandable, but he just wanted her to be a _kid_. A happy and healthy kid.

 

That’s all he wanted for her and James.

 

“And lots of kids don’t walk until they are a year and a half,” he sighed.

 

“I don’t think your facts are right there,” Gendry noted as he grabbed a large box out. “But I know Ella is worried that losing his parents has like, fucked him up developmentally, or that _she_ has. Which is just ridiculous. He’s totally normal right?”

 

“So normal!,” Robb agreed enthusiastically, grabbing another box, “And super alert and engaged and everything. She’s just so fucking hard on herself and I don’t know how to make her understand that she’s doing unbelievably well. She just has to stop reading Mommy blogs.”

 

“YOU LET HER READ MOMMY BLOGS?!,” Gendry asked him, setting down his box.

 

“Well,” Robb said, setting down his own, “First of all, I don’t _let_ her do anything. Second of all, I have told her _and_ Sansa has told her that she shouldn’t but she wakes up at all hours with James and it’s become an addiction. She woke me up at 5 am the other morning asking me to stay with the kids so she could go to the farmer’s market to get a special type of seed to put in the kids’ oatmeal? I mean I love the girl but she is driving herself crazy.”

 

“There is so much to unload there,” Gendry said, picking up his box again, “I’ll try and talk to her. I’ll offer to take the kids next weekend so she can have some time to herself.”

 

“Thanks, man,” Robb grunted as he picked up his box, “She probably won’t take you up on it, but it’s worth a shot…”

 

They got into the elevator and Gendry pushed the button for his floor. He was glad Gendry had moved down here. He had made friends since he’d moved here, but he really liked him. They had a lot in common and it was so nice seeing Ella with him.

 

“Oh uh, by the way, you _love_ Ella?,” he asked.

 

“What - I mean, how, I uhhh what?,” Robb sputtered.

 

Gendry chuckled, “Yeah you let that one slip downstairs, just fyi.”

 

“Shit, can you not tell her?,” he asked.

 

Gendry shrugged, “Not my thing to tell, but in my experience, girls tend to like hearing that from the guys they’re seeing.”

 

Robb nodded grimly, “I know, and I will tell her. Just not yet. So thanks.”

 

“As long as you don’t tell her that I asked you if you _let_ her do something, we’re square.”

 

“Deal.”

 

***

 

“Are you sure this is everything?,” Myrcella asked, looking around the kitchen.

 

The common room was basically set up. She and Arya had made Gendry and Robb rearrange the furniture a few times, but she was pretty sure that she liked it this way.

 

_Unless the couch should be facing the windows…_

 

“Yeah?,” Gendry nodded as he sipped his beer.

 

It was only noon but apparently there was a thing with men and moving and when they were done they had to have a beer. She had never heard that rule but Robb had agreed wholeheartedly and was sipping one of his own.

 

“But… where are all the glasses and cutting boards and pots and pans?,” she wondered, looking in the cupboards to make sure that Arya hadn’t unpacked them when she was changing James.

 

“At your house?,” Gendry shrugged.

 

“Joey,” she said firmly.

 

“I’ve got him!,” Joey promised and whacked her uncle with a pillow.

 

“Heyyy!,” Gendry whined and then picked Joey off they couch and started tickling her.

 

“A-a-auntie E-l-lllllla,” Joey pleaded while giggling.

 

“I’ve got you babes,” Arya promised and picked her out of Gendry’s arms. “We girls have got to stick together against stinky boys, don’t we?”

 

Joey held her nose and said, “Peeeyew, stinky boys.”

 

“Hey, what did I do?,” Robb joked.

 

Joey shook her head and reached for Robb. Arya rolled her eyes and deposited her into his arms.

 

In her niece’s opinion, Robb was capable of doing _no_ wrong. He was her knight in shining armour and favourite playmate all rolled into one.

 

“Unfuckingbelievable,” Gendry sighed and then pointed his beer at Robb, “When Kitty comes to visit next it’s _payback_ time.”

 

“Bring it,” Robb taunted with a grin.

 

She and Arya looked at each other and shook their heads, “Stinky boys,” they said in unison.

 

Arya came over to join her and looked in the box of kitchen supplies.

 

“Well this is more than Robb has,” she shrugged.

 

“It _is?!!?_ ,” Ella wondered.

 

Robb made direct eye contact with his little sister and monotoned, “Thank you for that Arya.”

 

“Is that true?,” Ella asked.

 

She’d only been to Robb’s a handful of times, and that was mostly a stop along the way or to grab Grey Wind. With the kids they spent most of the time at her house. She hadn’t really thought about it, but she wondered if that bothered him.

 

“Maybe…,” Robb said sheepishly.

 

She grinned and shook her head. She was slowly teaching him how to cook, but in all honesty he had been relegated mostly to chopping duty after a particularly unfortunate event with vodka sauce.

 

He got off the couch and set Joey down on the ground with James who was lying in between Nymeria and Grey Wind, snug as a bug.

 

He came over to her and looked in the box, “Well, I definitely have a coffeemaker if that helps…”

 

She smiled and unwrapped a plate and stacked it with the rest - the rest being three others.

 

“Coffee never hurts,” she reasoned.

 

He grabbed the plates and gestured to one of the cupboards and she nodded.

 

“I guess I haven’t spent much time in your kitchen…,” she ventured.

 

“Well in your defence, _I_ haven’t spent much time in my kitchen,” he grinned.

 

She tugged on his shirt and said softly, “Seriously… does that bug you? We always spend time at my place…”

 

“Am I crowding you at yours?,” he asked.

 

“No!,” she promised, stepping in between his legs and wrapping her arms around his back, “I love having you there and so do the kids… I just… in a normal relationship it would be more equal.”

 

“Well,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist, “If it would make you feel better we can start spending more time there… but just for the record… I’ve had normal relationships and they’re not for me…”

 

She grinned, “Oh _really_? So I guess you kind of like me, huh?”

 

“Who told you?,” he asked and pressed a kiss to her waiting lips. “But uh… speaking of spending time at my place… I think Gendry wanted to offer to take the kids next weekend… and if he did that… then… well you could stay in your house or go to a spa or -“

 

“Or…,” she teased.

 

Their lower bodies were hidden from the rest of the room thanks to the counter and he took advantage by grabbing her butt in both hands.

 

“Or you could come check out my coffee maker,” he offered with a grin.

 

“PLEASE TELL ME THAT ISN’T A EUPHEMISM,” Arya called from her spot on the couch.

 

“What’s a upamism?,” Joey asked.

 

“It means Robb is being a very bad boy,” Gendry offered, “Quick, go hit him with a pillow.”

 

She and Robb turned to look at Joey who looked as though she was considering it and then grinned and shook her head.

 

She loved how much Joey loved him. She could be so serious, especially now, but he made her light. It was all she wanted, just for her to be a silly, happy kid.

 

“That’s my girl,” Robb grinned and blew Joey a kiss.

 

Something churned in her heart. Something she hadn’t felt in a very long time, maybe ever. All at once she felt a bit lightheaded.

 

“Sweetheart?,” Robb asked in concern. She must have leaned more of her weight against him.

 

“I love -,” she started and his eyebrows raised, “The idea of spending a weekend at your apartment.”

 

He grinned and kissed her. She kissed him back, though internally she was freaking out. She’d almost just told him that she loved him. She hadn’t even realised she loved him and then she’d almost just _said_ it.

 

That wasn’t the sort of thing that you could just blurt out in the middle of your brother’s apartment with his sister in hearing distance as well as your kids.

 

She had known she was _falling_ in love with him. She had been from the moment she’d met him. She’d never known anyone like him and she loved spending time with him. He made her so happy, all the time, sometimes because he tried really hard and other times just because he was _him_. And she loved seeing him with the kids. And she just… she just loved him.

 

 _Fuck_.

 

She knew he cared about her more than was probably healthy, but even still she didn’t want to freak out by _telling_ him. They’d only been together a little over a month. It was too soon. She didn’t want to rush anything.

 

He was looking at her and she realised that she’d been silent a long time so she smiled at him and he smiled back.

 

Her tongue was itching to say it - and now she had to spend a whole _weekend_ with him on her own. There was going to be so much time to talk and no buffer. How was she going to get through that?

 

She couldn’t look at him anymore or he’d know she was freaking out so she leaned her head against his chest and squeezed him tight. He rubbed up and down her back and she felt lulled the way she always did when his hands were on her.

 

“Hey, I thought I was a stinky boy?,” he teased softly in her ear.

 

“Yeah well,” she sighed, burrowing into him, “You’re my stinky boy. Aren’t you?”

 

“As long as you’ll have me, sweetheart.”

 

She sighed and hoped she pulled it off as a sigh of contentment. He was just so damn perfect.

 

In all her life Myrcella had never found anything quite so frustrating as being in love with her boyfriend.


	10. Romantic Weekend

He and Ella were like a couple of kids as they made their way into the movie theatre. You’d think they had snuck out to see a midnight showing the way Ella giggled or from his enthusiasm as they got their drinks and popcorn.

 

Ella wrapped her arm around his waist and whispered in his ear, “I feel drunk…”

 

“I know! Me too!,” he nodded, glad that he wasn’t crazy. “What is _happening_ to us?”

 

“I think it’s the idea that you and I are about to sit through an entire movie that has a higher rating than G…,” she grinned.

 

“Say it again,” he chuckled.

 

She cooed in his ear, “There’s going to be swearing and _semi-nudity_.”

 

He giggled like a school girl as he wrapped his arm around her, “I l-ike you so much.”

 

If she noticed anything amiss she didn’t remark on it as she giggled and leaned her head against his shoulder as they made their way into the theatre. He, however, was kind of freaking out.

 

He’d almost just told her that he loved her.

 

Which in a way was okay, because he absolutely did, but in another way was very not okay because it may freak her out. He’d been worried out about it ever since he’d let it slip with Gendry last weekend.

 

Ella had come to his apartment last night after dropping off the kids at Gendry’s loft, a weekend bag slung over her slender shoulder, a small smile on her pink lips.

 

They hadn’t made it to his bedroom before they started tearing off each other’s clothes. They didn’t hold back with one another. There was no need to check the lock on the door or to be quiet. And they weren’t. Not until the third time anyway, which was all mingled breath and interlocked fingers.

 

It had been difficult all week not to tell her, but especially during that third time last night when she looked him in the eyes like she might just love him too.

 

They’d slept in until noon and woken groggy and lazy like a couple of teenagers. She’d gone for a pedicure with Ashara and then he and Barristan had met up with them for a late lunch.

 

His heart had stopped when he’d walked in to his bathroom that evening and found her barefoot, wearing only one of his t shirts as she put on mascara, and they’d been late to their dinner reservation because she’d had to start over once he came up behind her.

 

Things felt so right between them, and things were getting better every day. There were still hard days, of course, but everything was moving forward as it should.

 

And though he knew without a shadow of a doubt that what he was feeling was love - a good old-fashioned, once in a lifetime kind of love for that matter - he also knew that she might not be ready to hear that.

 

So it was enough just to be with her now, even if he had to bite his tongue from time to time.

 

He was looking forward to picking up the kids tomorrow night. As much fun as it had been to have hours and hours of Ella uninterrupted, he couldn’t help but feel like he was on vacation and he was eager to get back to his real life and he knew Ella felt the same way. Still though, they’d enjoy the time while they had it.

 

They found seats and she grabbed some popcorn, munching on it happily. They’d already had dinner at a new place Arya had told him about, but his stomach was still rumbling. The food had been good but the portions were _so_ small. He might have to convince Ella to stop for a burger on their way back to his apartment.

 

“Do you think we can get ice cream or something on the way home?,” she asked him, “I’m still _starving_.” He looked at her, a small smile on his face and nodded. Her face fell, “What? Oh gods I’m a pig I know but those portions were so -“ He grabbed her by the face and kissed her. She kissed him back and then shook her head, “You have the strangest kinks, Robb Stark.”

 

He chuckled and shrugged, because she didn’t have to know that she was his only kink. Everything she did drove him wild, everything.

 

He wrapped his arm around her as the first preview started. He was putting the movie in the no-way-in-hell category when he heard her phone ding.

 

“No phones!,” someone behind them said.

 

He went to turn around to look at who it was but she placed a hand on his thigh and cheerily said, “Sorry,” as she pulled out her phone to check.

 

She turned off the ringer and read the message and typed something back.

 

“Everything okay?,” he whispered.

 

She nodded, but she was worrying her poor bottom lip.

 

“Gendry wanted the number of the kid’s paediatrician, Joey has a fever,” she told him.

 

He nodded, though he wasn’t sure what kind of paediatrician would be in the office on a Saturday night. Joey had seemed fine when he last saw her on Thursday night, she had the sniffles but so did James. They’d both had some kind of spring cold for the past couple of days.

 

“Did he say how high her temperature was?,” he whispered.

 

Somebody behind them cleared their throat and he had a pretty good idea it was the same guy.

 

Ella checked her phone again, “It’s 103. The doctor isn’t there…”

 

“That’s really high,” he whispered and she nodded, typing furiously back.

 

“We’re trying to watch the movie here!,” the guy said angrily.

 

It was a bad move to yell at Ella in general around him. It was a downright idiotic move to yell at her when she was trying to tell him about a sick Joey. So now he did turn around.

 

“It’s a preview for fuck’s sake, calm down,” he growled at him and then turned to Ella and whispered, “I think they should take her to the hospital. I’m sure she’s fine, but just in case.”

 

She nodded and whispered in his ear, “That’s what I said, they were already on their way and they’ll let us know what the doctor says and if we need to go get James.”

 

He nodded and tried to focus on the preview. That was reasonable. Gendry would let them know if anything was really wrong and Arya could handle James, who was probably sleeping by now anyway.

 

He saw Ella glancing down at her phone and typing something back.

 

“Do you want to go meet them?,” he asked hopefully.

 

Because even if it was a reasonable course of action, it certainly wasn’t his first choice.

 

Ella shook her head and gave him a fake smile, “No, no that’s alright.”

 

No it wasn’t. Their little girl was sick and going to the hospital and they should be there.

 

It was Ella’s decision though so he sighed and looked at the screen. He didn’t realise that his leg was twitching until some popcorn fell out of the container. He turned to look at Ella and saw that she was biting her fingernail, her eyes smarting.

 

“Come on,” he said, “We’re going. I can’t stand this.”

 

She turned to him with a hopeful smile, “Really?,” and then her face fell, “You’re not just doing it for me?”

 

“I’d do anything for you, sweetheart, but right now I am freaking the fuck out all on my own and if you don’t get that perfect ass out of that seat I am going to throw you over my shoulder,” he finally let out.

 

Her eyes widened in horror and he was about to apologise when a bubble of laughter erupted from her.

 

“These people have gotta be fucking kidding me,” the guy behind them said.

 

Robb stood up and turned to him, “We’re leaving alright? Here, take my fucking popcorn, you prick.” Ella looked at him gobsmacked and he shrugged, “You had your chance, sweetheart,” and with that he lifted her out of her seat and over his shoulder.

 

***

 

She had never seen Robb afraid. She had seen him have a panic attack, but this was different. This was the kind of fear that made a man brave.

 

She tried to assure him that Joey was fine, that kids got fevers all the time and that when she’d dropped her off yesterday she had a runny nose but was otherwise perfectly healthy. She tried to assure herself too.

 

It did nothing to assuage either of their fears though, which were admittedly disproportionate to the situation. She knew they were being a _little_ crazy, but neither Joey or James had had so much as a stomachache since they’d been with her. And 103 seemed _very_ high.

 

Apparently everyone else thought so too, or perhaps it was just a slow night at the hospital, because by the time they parked the car, Joey was in a private room with a doctor.

 

They searched for room 306 and finally saw Arya standing in the hallway rocking James.

 

“How is she? Does James have a fever?,” Ella asked as she rushed over.

 

“No, he’s fine. And so is she, the doctor is in with her and Gendry now,” Arya said, and then looked at Robb and clutched his hand, “She’s fine.”

 

Something passed between brother and sister and Robb started breathing normally again.

 

“I’m going to go in, do you mind staying with him?,” Ella asked her.

 

“Of course not,” Arya said.

 

Ella kissed her cheek and then James’ forehead. She then grabbed Robb’s hand.

 

“Really?,” he asked, a surprised but delighted smile on his face.

 

She rolled her eyes, “If I leave you out here you might start yelling at orderly’s who look at Arya the wrong way.”

 

He chuckled and nodded at that possibility and he followed her into the room. Gendry was standing in front of Joey, as though it were the doctor who might hurt her rather than the fever, his arms crossed as he listened to whatever he was saying.

 

The doctor turned to her and said, “Ah you must be -“

 

“Auntie Ella,” Joey whimpered though and then immediately started sobbing.

 

She looked so small in the hospital bed and so pale, her hair matted to her forehead. Something ached deep in her chest and she walked over to the bed and kicked off her shoes.

 

“I’m Myrcella Baratheon, her guardian,” she told him as she climbed into bed with Joey.

 

Her niece crawled into her arms and she could _feel_ the fever. She didn’t want to make her any hotter but Joey was burrowing into her neck, so she wrapped her arms around her and stroked her hair as she sobbed.

 

 _“It’s alright, my love, you’re alright,”_ she murmured in her ear.

 

Joey whimpered a little bit and didn’t let go, but the sobbing subsided. It must have been so scary for her, the fear in Gendry’s eyes and being rushed into the hospital.

 

“You’re being so brave _,”_ she told her.

 

“L-l-l-like y-y-ou?,” Joey asked.

 

Ella felt her eyes smart, because she certainly didn’t feel brave.

 

“Just like your Auntie Ella,” Robb said for her though. She hadn’t realised that he had come to stand by her, but she looked up at him and felt a calm wash over her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it and then turned to the doctor, “Do you know what’s going on?”

 

“It’s looking like the flu, it’s good she was brought in early because we’ve been seeing a number of cases turning into pneumonia. We’re going to want to watch her overnight and we’ll administer something to alleviate some of her symptoms and hopefully reduce the timing. The main thing right now is bringing down her fever,” he said.

 

“And my nephew, James?,” Ella wondered, “Should you be looking at him as well? As you can imagine they are constantly sharing things and -“

 

The doctor grimaced, “If he is not exhibiting any symptoms then nothing we do will show any results. You’re just going to have to monitor him, and keep them separated as much as possible.”

 

“Well if she needs to stay here overnight, someone should take James home anyway,” she reasoned. Joey clung to her and she promised, “I’m staying, I’m not going anywhere. I promised, remember?”

 

Joey nodded and she glanced over at Gendry.

 

“Arya and I will take him back,” he told her.

 

“Thank you,” she sighed and removed her cardigan. Joey was like a little space heater. She turned to Robb, “I’m sorry to ask, but do you mind going to the cafeteria before you go? I want to make sure to have some apple juice for her,” she turned to the doctor, “I assume that’s alright?”

 

He smiled at her and nodded, “Best thing for her really, other than rest and a cold compress. I’ll check in again once we have the lab results.”

 

“Thank you,” she gave him a weak smile and he left. She turned to Gendry, “Thank you - so much for bringing her in. And for taking James, are you sure you don’t mind?”

 

“Positive,” Gendry nodded, “Hey darlin’, I’m going to take Arya and James home but I’ll come check on you in the morning, alright?”

 

Joey turned and nodded, “I love you, Uncle Gendry.”

 

Gendry blushed and Ella couldn’t help but smile. Things were feeling slightly less dire now that they were here, now that the doctor had seen her and she could feel her in her arms.

 

“I love you too, darlin’,” he said with a thick throat. “El, call me if you need anything.”

 

She nodded and mouthed _Thank you_ again and Gendry nodded and walked out of the room.

 

“I’m going to head down to the cafeteria and grab that apple juice, I’m gonna get a coffee and maybe something to eat - you want anything?,” Robb asked.

 

She shook her head and thanked him.

 

He had gotten to the door when she said, “Coffee and food?”

 

He turned to her and gave her a smile, “You’re not the only one who made a promise about sticking around, remember?”

 

*

 

She wasn’t sure when she dozed off but she was still in bed with Joey. Robb had draped his coat over her and she looked over and saw him dozing in the chair, his foot up on the bed the way it would be when Joey asked him to stay in her room until she fell asleep.

 

She looked down at Joey and saw that she was crying. She didn’t remember hearing her, but she must have sensed it.

 

“What is it, my love, does something hurt?,” she asked her in concern.

 

Joey shook her head but her teeth chattered, and she burrowed in closer, “I-i-i’m c-c-c-c-c-old.”

 

She felt her forehead and she was still warm but she wasn’t burning up the way she had been a few hours earlier. She took the blanket off of herself and wrapped her up like a burrito, rubbing up and down her arms.

 

“I’m going to go get you some more blankets and see if a nurse is around to take your temperature, okay?,” she asked.

 

Joey nodded and Ella got out of bed and walked around to where Robb as sitting. She nudged him as gently as she could and he woke up immediately.

 

“What’s wrong? I must have - is she okay?,” he asked.

 

She cupped his cheek, “She’s okay, but she’s really cold. I’m going to go find another blanket and hopefully a nurse to take her temperature. Can you stay with her, I think she’s a little afraid.”

 

He nodded and rubbed his eyes, and she felt a pit in her stomach. This _was_ what he had signed up for, given that she had told him to leave, but she still felt terrible. He’d have a sore neck for days and this wasn’t exactly the romantic weekend she’d promised him.

 

She went out into the hall and to the desk.

 

“Hi,” she whispered, not wanting to wake any other patients, “I’m with Joanna Baratheon in 306. She’s moved on from being overheated and is now freezing, do you happen to have any extra blankets?”

 

The orderly smiled at her kindly and nodded, walking into a back room and grabbing a couple.

 

“Thank you so much,” Ella said, reaching for them. The orderly waved her off and started walking towards the room. “And do you think you could send in a nurse when they have a moment? She’s still running a temperature and I’d just like to keep a watch on it…”

 

The orderly smiled and nodded, “I’ll send someone in when they next come by. Is she your oldest?”

 

Ella shook her head, “Oh she’s my nie-yes, yes she’s my oldest. Thankfully her little brother isn’t showing any symptoms yet… though I suspect it’s only a matter of time.”

 

The orderly chuckled and nodded, “They do share germs better than they share toys, don’t they?”

 

Ella grinned and nodded, though Joey was very good at sharing with James. James hadn’t quite learned the art of sharing, but that was on the top of the list right below walking.

 

They walked back to the room and found Robb in bed with Joey. She was still wrapped up and had his jacket draped over her too, she had fallen back asleep but he was awake, stroking her hair and rocking her gently.

 

“Such a _beautiful_ family,” the orderly practically cooed, then looked at Robb, “If I come down with a fever will you rock _me_ like that?”

 

Even in the dark she could tell that Robb was blushing and Ella couldn’t help but grin at him. They spread some blankets over Joey and she thanked the orderly who left with promises of sending a nurse soon.

 

“Room for one more?,” Ella asked Robb.

 

“As long as that one is you, then always,” he said quietly and she chuckled.

 

She got into bed and pulled some covers over her because there really was a chill in the air now. She turned towards Robb and went to rub Joey’s back and found his hand already there. She interlocked their fingers and he squeezed hers and she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

 

“Thank you,” she whispered, “I know this isn’t what we -“

 

“There’s nowhere else I want to be, sweetheart,” he assured her.

 

She nodded, because that was obvious.

 

“I know that, and I know I don’t have any right to ask you for anything, because you’ve done so much, but I have to ask you for this,” she said in a wobbly voice.

 

He opened his eyes and turned to her and his brow furrowed in concern, “El?”

 

“If… if we ever… break up… if you ever… stop liking me, or wanting me, or… well if our relationship ends…,” she sighed, “Please don’t let that mean that your relationship with _her_ ends.”

 

“Ella…,” Robb started.

 

“No, no I… James adores you, I know that, but he’s a baby… she… loves you, Robb and she depends on you and when you’re with her, it’s like she’s fearless,” she told him, because she and her niece were so similar, “And she can’t lose anyone else that she loves. I know things would have to change but… I just… promise me she wouldn’t lose you completely.”

 

It was a ratty thing to ask. An impossible thing to promise. But there was no limit to what you do for your kids, if she’d learned anything, she’d learned that.

 

He cupped her cheek and she hadn’t realised that she was crying until he wiped the tears away with his thumb.

 

“She’ll never lose me,” he promised, and she leaned her forehead against his, “I love her, sweetheart, so much. Her and James. They’ll never lose me, there’ll never be a thing I wouldn’t do for them, never be a time I wouldn’t be there if they needed me. No matter what.”

 

She kissed his lips and he kissed her back softly.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“But Ella?,” he asked.

 

“Yes?,” she said.

 

“You and me? We aren’t the kind of thing that ends.”

 

She kissed him again and then he wrapped his arm around her, Joey snugly in between them.

 

It certainly wasn’t the weekend they had planned but perhaps, in its own way, it was romantic after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll still with me?


	11. Steps Pt. 2

“It looks like it’s clearing up, do you guys want to go for a walk?,” Robb asked.

 

“No,” her and Joey said in tandem.

 

They had all woken up to a big summer storm that had lasted the better part of the day. They had leaned into it and been complete and utter oafs. She and Robb and the kids were all still in their pajamas, though it was nearly one o’clock and they’d be going down for their nap shortly. Her and Robb included most likely, at this rate.

 

James was sitting on the floor, keeping himself busy with stacking blocks, and she and Joey were cuddled up on the couch looking through one of her old art history textbooks. She had always known that Joey loved to draw, but had found out that she also shared her love of _looking_ at art and she was delighted that they had something new to share together. Last weekend Gendry had taken James and she and Joey had a girls day. They went for brunch and manicures and to the local art museum. It had made her think of what Robb said about Kitty, that she was four going on seventeen.

 

“Ooooh I like this one!,” Joey told her and Ella grinned and nodded.

 

“You guys are _lazy bones jones,_ ” Robb chuckled at them and got off the couch, “I’m getting something to drink anyone need anything?”

 

“No thanks baby,” Ella yawned.

 

“Cooooookies,” Joey yawned as well.

 

Robb glanced at her and she shook her head _no_. She turned the page and pointed at one of her favorite paintings and Joey _ahhhh_ ed at it and then pointed out that it reminded her of one they saw at the museum last week. Ella told her that there weren’t any by that artist and when Joey explained the one she was talking about she realised it was one by the artist’s teacher. Visions of Joey as a famous curator flitted through her mind as she started explaining the technique they’d used to make that kind of blue.

 

“Hey buddy, how’d you get over here?,” she heard and turned as Robb picked up a standing James.

 

She shot off the couch, “Did he just -?”

 

Right as Robb looked at James and asked, “Did you just -?”

 

They looked at each other and both shouted, “He just walked!”

 

She picked Joey up and started jumping up and down, “James just walked! Your baby brother walked!”

 

Robb was spinning around with James, pressing kisses to his cheek as her eyes started welling up with tears. She set Joey down and raced over to them. She cupped James’ cheeks in her hands and kissed his curls.

 

“Do you want to try again, sweet pea?,” she asked.

 

James nodded, cupping her cheeks too. She grinned, grabbing his hands and kissing them and then stepped away.

 

“Okay sweet pea, come to me?,” she asked, kneeling down on the floor.

 

Robb set him down and let James hold onto his hands. James looked at her and she beckoned him forward. An adorable little look of determination set about his face and he let go of Robb’s hands and started toggling forward.

 

“Oh my…,” she felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Before she knew it he had made his way over to her and she pulled him into her arms, pressing kisses to his curls. “You did it, sweet pea, you did it!” Joey was at her shoulder and she turned to her and kissed her cheek, “Your little brother is walking!”

 

“Yay Jamesy!!!,” Joey giggled jumping up and down.

 

“Joey, quick come over here, I want him to walk to you. I’m getting my phone though we have to film this,” Robb said excitedly. He ran to go out of the room but ran back and kissed James’ head, and then Joey’s, and then hers, “I’ll just be a second, none of you do anything amazing until I get back!”

 

Joey giggled at him but Ella felt like she was going to faint. She had been worried about James not walking. Joey had been walking at eleven months, and she still remembered the pictures Margery had sent her of Tommen asleep on the floor he was so exhausted running after her. She knew that it did no good to compare them, and that James was engaged and alert, but as he passed fourteen months she had gotten afraid.

 

Seeing him now though, she realised how silly she had been. Robb had told her she was worrying for nothing, but seeing his reaction, she wondered if he hadn’t been just the teeniest bit worried himself. Either way he had reacted like a proud father, there was no other way to describe the way he looked at James. And her nephew had walked over to Robb because he loved him and wanted to follow him.

 

She knew then, and realised she had known for some time, that she always wanted James to follow in his footsteps.

 

“I’m back, I’m back,” Robb slid back into the room, phone out in front of him. “Okay, Ella, sweetheart, back up and Joey, honey, come over here, alright?”

 

Joey ran to do his bidding and Ella slid back on the floor, making James let out his adorable little giggle.

 

“Okay, Joey call James,” Robb grinned.

 

“Jamesyyyy, come here Jamesy…,” Joey cooed, slapping her thighs.

 

James snapped to attention and wiggled out of her arms. She helped right himself and then he walked purposefully over to his sister. She wrapped him in her arms and the pair started giggling at one another.

 

“Wave to the camera guys!,” Robb urged excitedly. They turned in tandem, wide grins on their faces and waved at Robb, “What do you think of your little brother walking, Joey?”

 

“It’s AAMAZING!,” Joey exclaimed.

 

“Sure is, honey,” Robb grinned and then pointed the camera at her, “And what about you, Ella?”

 

“I love you,” she gushed.

 

“You… what?,” Robb asked.

 

“She LOVES you!!!,” Joey explained, as though he was hard of hearing.

 

Robb let out an incredulous laugh.

 

The realisation that she had just said it, something she’d been thinking about for over a month, for the first time, in front of her niece and nephew, on camera sunk in.

 

“What’s today?,” he asked her.

 

Her brow furrowed and she answered, “M-may 20th.”

 

His eyes were rimmed in red as he smiled at her and then he tilted the camera towards him, “On May 20th, James Elliot Baratheon took his first steps - _and_ the greatest love of my life, Myrcella Penelope Baratheon told me she loved me for the first time.”

 

Now she understood why he laughed. It was almost impossible to hear, that the person you were madly in love with loved you too.

 

She stood up and crossed over to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and she took his face in her hands.

 

“The greatest love of your life?,” she almost whispered.

 

His blue eyes looked into hers with so much love shining in them that she wasn’t sure how she could have ever been afraid to tell him.

 

“Unless you count them,” he nodded, gesturing to where James was still sitting in Joey’s lap, her arms wrapped around him, grinning at them happily.

 

She let out a tear filled laugh and nodded, “Count them. I’m okay being third.”

 

He shook his head and leaned his forehead against hers, “Gods do I love you.”

 

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. He kissed her back ardently and she was melting into him.

 

And then falling into him.

 

“Oof,” she said, as her knees gave out.

 

Luckily Robb still had her around the waist and they both looked down to see James hugging her calf.

 

“And you were worried about him not walking,” Robb teased.

 

***

 

“Say it again,” he demanded.

 

Even though he’d just ordered her to speak he pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back sweetly, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her body against his.

 

He spun them around and pressed her against the door and kissed her cheek and her neck, “Say it,” he repeated.

 

“Say what?,” she teased.

 

He kissed her collarbone and her chest and knelt before her, pressing a kiss to her navel. He pulled down her silk pajama pants and then her underwear and pressed a kiss to one thigh and then the other.

 

“Say it,” he ordered, his mouth hovering over the apex of her thighs. She shook her head stubbornly and he grinned, pressing a kiss to the outside of her thigh and then the inside, “Say it,” he murmured against her leg.

 

“No,” she whimpered and he chuckled, nipping her behind the knee. “ _Robb_.”

 

“ _Say_ it,” he demanded, pressing hot open mouthed kisses to the insides of her thighs.

 

He felt her hand on his head and she gripped his hair and pulled his head back. She had fire in her eyes and he was painfully hard and then she took one leg and hooked it over his shoulder.

 

“After,” she promised, looking at him meaningfully.

 

He remembered their first time together. They had fit together perfectly, but she had been tentative, shy. Now, she was anything but. She was still delicate, seemingly painfully so at times, but her embarrassment had left her and he loved it.

 

 _“Fuck_ sweetheart,” he groaned and buried his face in her.

 

ONE MINUTE LATER

 

“I love you, I love you, _oh gods Robb I love you_.”


End file.
